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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. root — the cause
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. band — a ring
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. root — of a word
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tube — the underground
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. band — a music group
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. tube — a container
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. staff — employees
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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