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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: root · roll · ground · key · mine · nail · rash · rock

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. roll — a cake
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. root — of a plant
  6. key — in music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rash — a series
  10. rock — music
  11. mine — for digging
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. root — of a word
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. roll — a list
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. rock — a stone
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — the earth

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