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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · key · cell · nail · roll · bowl · mark · root

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. root — of a plant
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. root — of a word
  10. roll — a list
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. key — the most important part
  14. root — the cause
  15. roll — a cake
  16. key — in music
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. cell — in biology
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. mark — a grade
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bowl — a dish

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