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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.

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: march · staff · root · file · rash · key · mouse · temple

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. key — for a lock
  3. staff — a stick
  4. march — the month
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. file — a tool
  7. key — the most important part
  8. staff — employees
  9. root — of a word
  10. key — in music
  11. rash — a series
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. march — music
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a plant
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. file — a document
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. march — the month
  20. rash — hasty
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. file — a line of people
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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