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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.

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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: bay · key · roll · saw · file · root · kick · chair

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. roll — a list
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — the cause
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. roll — a cake
  7. saw — the tool
  8. root — of a plant
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. file — a document
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. kick — in football
  20. key — in music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. file — a line of people
  23. key — for a lock
  24. file — a tool

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