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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — a phone
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bulb — for light
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bulb — for light
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. cell — in biology
  12. face — to confront
  13. bank — of a river
  14. root — the cause
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. face — to point toward
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bank — for money
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bank — for money

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