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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: fan · key · bore · nail · fine · land · root · snap

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a plant
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — ground
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. key — the most important part
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. key — in music
  12. root — of a word
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. bore — to drill
  18. land — a country
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. snap — to click
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bore — to tire
  24. nail — for a hammer

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