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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: root · roll · nail · bound · hide · pit · squash · chair

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. root — the cause
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pit — a hole
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bound — certain
  13. squash — the sport
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bound — tied together
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chair — a leader
  21. roll — a list
  22. bound — obliged
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. squash — the vegetable

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