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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.

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468
Word bank
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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rest — a break
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. content — the amount
  6. rest — what's left
  7. snap — to click
  8. fork — in a road
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. staff — employees
  12. root — of a plant
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. root — the cause
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. content — happy
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bulb — for light
  24. staff — employees

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