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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: ball · hand · jam · key · root · toast · mouse · straw

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. root — of a plant
  4. toast — bread
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. ball — a great time
  8. key — the most important part
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. ball — a dance
  14. key — in music
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. key — for a lock
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hand — in cards
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. hand — help

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