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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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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 · board · nail · spring · rule · bore · suit · dip

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. root — of a plant
  4. suit — to fit
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. board — to get on
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. suit — clothes
  10. board — a committee
  11. suit — in cards
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rule — a law
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. spring — the season
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. rule — government
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bore — to tire
  24. spring — of water

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