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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: court · bowl · tube · wound · root · sharp · cap · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — of ice
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. root — the cause
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. tube — a container
  12. court — of law
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. court — for sport
  15. sharp — clever
  16. court — of a king
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. root — of a word
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. tube — the underground
  23. root — of a plant
  24. nail — on a finger

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