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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
468
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: bore · stock · fan · root · wave · saw · key · bowl

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bore — to tire
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stock — shares
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. key — for a lock
  8. root — of a word
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. stock — goods
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. root — of a plant
  14. key — in music
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. saw — the tool
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bore — to drill
  23. root — the cause
  24. stock — a soup base

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