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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: temple · dip · bulb · wound · present · root · nail · toast

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wound — an injury
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. wound — an injury
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bulb — for light
  12. toast — bread
  13. present — a gift
  14. bulb — for light
  15. root — of a word
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. present — the time now
  22. root — the cause
  23. present — there
  24. dip — to sink

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