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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: key · bay · degree · march · rock · lean · current · root

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. degree — from a university
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. current — electric
  6. degree — temperature
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rock — music
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. key — in music
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. degree — an amount
  15. root — of a word
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. root — the cause
  18. lean — to bend
  19. key — for a lock
  20. root — of a plant
  21. lean — thin
  22. march — the month
  23. current — of water
  24. rock — a stone

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