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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · rule · hand · roll · bulb · nail · stick · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. hand — in cards
  15. roll — a cake
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rule — government
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hand — help
  22. roll — a list
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bulb — of a plant

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