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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. root — of a word
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. root — the cause
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. game — a match
  11. lean — thin
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. root — of a plant
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. game — wild animals
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. squash — the sport
  24. temple — side of the head

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