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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. root — the cause
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bass — low music
  8. saw — the tool
  9. last — finally
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. spring — the season
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — the fish
  17. last — to go on
  18. saw — the tool
  19. spring — a coil
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. root — of a word
  22. last — final
  23. root — of a plant
  24. racket — for tennis

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