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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: track · pit · rule · hand · fine · root · mouse · nail

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rule — government
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rule — a law
  7. pit — a hole
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. hand — help
  12. track — a path
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. hand — in cards
  16. root — of a word
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fine — all right
  19. track — a song
  20. root — of a plant
  21. pit — in a race
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. track — to keep track

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