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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 120 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: stick · root · perch · last · band · mine · ground · nail

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. last — to go on
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ground — a position
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. band — a ring
  11. root — of a word
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mine — for digging
  14. root — the cause
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. last — final
  17. ground — the earth
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. last — finally
  20. root — of a plant
  21. band — a music group
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. perch — the fish
  24. ground — crushed

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