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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. root — the cause
  3. land — to come down
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. root — of a word
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. mate — to breed
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. land — a country
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. lean — to bend
  14. mate — a friend
  15. deal — to handle
  16. root — of a plant
  17. lean — thin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. land — ground
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bulb — for light

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