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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: mark · spring · staff · bound · suit · mate · nail · root

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. staff — employees
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bound — obliged
  6. spring — a coil
  7. staff — employees
  8. mark — a trace
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bound — certain
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mate — to breed
  15. spring — the season
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bound — tied together
  19. suit — to fit
  20. root — of a word
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. spring — of water
  23. suit — in cards
  24. staff — a stick

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