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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 120 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: present · wave · court · hide · key · root · safe · face

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. root — the cause
  4. present — there
  5. face — part of the head
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. key — for a lock
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. face — to confront
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. root — of a word
  12. key — in music
  13. court — of a king
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. court — for sport
  16. present — the time now
  17. root — of a plant
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. present — a gift
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. court — of law
  23. face — to point toward
  24. safe — out of danger

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