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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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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: root · staff · bound · dip · mark · key · rash · kick

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. staff — employees
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bound — tied together
  6. root — of a plant
  7. rash — a series
  8. mark — a grade
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. root — the cause
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. staff — a stick
  13. key — in music
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. kick — in football
  16. bound — certain
  17. dip — to sink
  18. root — of a word
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. staff — employees
  24. mark — a trace

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