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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: nail · bay · bear · rest · roll · lean · game · root

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rest — what's left
  3. root — the cause
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. lean — to bend
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. lean — thin
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bear — the animal
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bear — the animal

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