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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: bound · fall · plane · season · roll · chip · root · nail

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. root — of a plant
  3. plane — a tool
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. fall — to drop
  6. root — of a word
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. season — in sport
  9. bound — certain
  10. roll — a cake
  11. season — of the year
  12. fall — the season
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. root — the cause
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — obliged
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. chip — for betting
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. roll — a list
  24. chip — to eat

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