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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 120 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: march · hide · wound · root · key · firm · racket · pass

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. firm — decided
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. march — music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. root — the cause
  8. march — the month
  9. pass — a permit
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. root — of a word
  12. firm — a company
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wound — an injury
  15. key — in music
  16. march — the month
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. firm — steady
  24. racket — for tennis

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