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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: root · lie · mark · ball · deal · key · spring · swing

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. swing — music
  5. root — of a word
  6. spring — a coil
  7. key — in music
  8. spring — the season
  9. ball — a great time
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. key — for a lock
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. root — the cause
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. key — the most important part
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. spring — of water
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. root — of a plant
  23. lie — to recline
  24. ball — a round shape

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