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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 · rest · root · sharp · bulb · jam · wake · snap

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. rest — a break
  4. root — of a word
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. snap — to click
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. rest — what's left
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. root — of a plant
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. sharp — clever
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. wake — before a funeral

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