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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 116 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: mark · plane · root · key · bay · bass · content · rash

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rash — hasty
  3. content — happy
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. root — of a word
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rash — a series
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mark — a grade
  12. key — the most important part
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. root — the cause
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. key — in music
  23. mark — a trace
  24. plane — 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