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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. foot — a measure
  5. root — of a word
  6. tear — from crying
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bulb — for light
  10. tear — to rip
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. root — the cause
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. branch — a division
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. tear — from crying
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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