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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.

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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: safe · mark · root · nail · stem · foot · hand · roll

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hand — in cards
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — of a word
  9. foot — a measure
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. hand — help
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stem — to come from
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. root — the cause
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mark — a grade
  21. roll — a list
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — on a roll

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