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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: squash · face · jam · hand · nail · cabinet · root · saw

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. squash — to crush
  7. face — to confront
  8. root — of a word
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. face — part of the head
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. hand — help
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. hand — in cards
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. face — to point toward
  22. root — the cause
  23. squash — the sport
  24. saw — the tool

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