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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 120 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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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: object · safe · cell · root · dip · bowl · mate · nail

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mate — a partner
  5. cell — in biology
  6. root — of a plant
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. object — a thing
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mate — a friend
  17. dip — to sink
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. mate — to breed
  24. cell — a phone

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