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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: root · key · temple · scale · wound · pop · bulb · spring

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. root — of a plant
  3. scale — size or range
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pop — soda
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pop — to visit
  8. spring — of water
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — of a word
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. key — in music
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. key — the most important part
  15. wound — an injury
  16. spring — the season
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. key — for a lock
  20. spring — a coil
  21. scale — in music
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wound — an injury
  24. root — the cause

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