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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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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: root · nail · saw · key · bank · race · jam · season

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. season — in sport
  3. race — humankind
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. root — the cause
  8. key — for a lock
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bank — for money
  11. race — the arms race
  12. key — the most important part
  13. race — a contest
  14. root — of a word
  15. bank — for money
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bank — of a river
  21. saw — the tool
  22. season — of the year
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. key — in music

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