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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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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: perch · root · deal · key · row · fan · tear · toast

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. tear — to rip
  3. key — in music
  4. tear — from crying
  5. key — the most important part
  6. tear — from crying
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. key — for a lock
  11. root — of a plant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. toast — bread
  14. row — to paddle
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. deal — to handle
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. row — a line
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — the cause
  21. perch — the fish
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. row — a quarrel

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