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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 116 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
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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 · content · pound · bear · root · fine · rush · spring

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. fine — high quality
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. rush — hurry
  6. spring — of water
  7. key — the most important part
  8. content — happy
  9. spring — the season
  10. root — of a plant
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. root — of a word
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. root — the cause
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. content — the amount
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. spring — a coil
  24. fine — all right

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