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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. rash — hasty
  7. firm — a company
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. dip — to sink
  14. band — a music group
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pitch — completely
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. firm — steady
  19. band — a ring
  20. root — of a plant
  21. chip — for betting
  22. rash — a series
  23. firm — decided
  24. nail — for a hammer

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