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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: nail · mark · root · game · chest · bay · bulb · suit

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. root — of a word
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — to fit
  6. game — a match
  7. suit — in cards
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chest — a box
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. suit — clothes
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. root — the cause
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. game — wild animals
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bulb — for light

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