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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 116 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: nail · pound · root · land · file · saw · pass · swing

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pound — a weight
  7. root — of a word
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. land — a country
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. land — to come down
  13. file — a document
  14. swing — in golf
  15. land — ground
  16. swing — music
  17. file — a line of people
  18. root — the cause
  19. file — a tool
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — a permit
  23. saw — the tool
  24. swing — to play on

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