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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.

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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: root · mine · track · nail · object · bulb · rash · stock

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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. bulb — for light
  4. root — of a word
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. object — a thing
  8. track — a song
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. object — to protest
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stock — shares
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. rash — hasty
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rash — a series
  23. object — an aim
  24. stock — goods

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