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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.

Make a worksheet

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: jam · row · capital · squash · key · toast · coach · root

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — for a lock
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. capital — money
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. root — the cause
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. row — to paddle
  11. capital — a city
  12. root — of a plant
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. squash — the sport
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. row — a line
  19. key — in music
  20. root — of a word
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. squash — to crush

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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