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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: root · degree · fork · row · mug · nail · saw · tube

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fork — in a road
  3. row — a line
  4. mug — to rob
  5. degree — from a university
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. root — the cause
  8. row — to paddle
  9. saw — the tool
  10. root — of a plant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. tube — the underground
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. tube — a container
  16. degree — temperature
  17. mug — a cup
  18. root — of a word
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. degree — an amount
  23. mug — a face
  24. row — a quarrel

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