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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: key · racket · cap · bulb · face · mug · root · dip

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. cap — a hat
  3. face — part of the head
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. root — of a word
  6. face — to confront
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bulb — for light
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mug — a face
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mug — a cup
  14. face — to point toward
  15. root — of a plant
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bulb — for light
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. cap — of ice
  22. root — the cause
  23. key — in music
  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