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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.

Make a worksheet

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: straw · charge · can · safe · band · key · clip · root

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. root — of a word
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. clip — a video
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. charge — a price
  8. clip — for paper
  9. can — to be able to
  10. key — in music
  11. can — a tin
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. root — of a plant
  16. can — a tin
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. clip — to cut
  21. band — a ring
  22. root — the cause
  23. band — a music group
  24. key — for a lock

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