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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: bulb · roll · nail · squash · pass · sharp · kick · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pass — a permit
  6. roll — a list
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. squash — the sport
  10. root — the cause
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. roll — a cake
  13. squash — to crush
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. sharp — clever
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. kick — in football
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bulb — for light
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. root — of a plant

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