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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · root · safe · pass · fall · board · key · wake

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fall — the season
  6. root — of a word
  7. squash — to crush
  8. key — in music
  9. pass — a permit
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. wake — a trail
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fall — to drop
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. root — the cause
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. board — a committee

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com