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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: chip · kick · spring · mark · lie · row · root · nail

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. root — of a plant
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lie — to recline
  7. chip — for betting
  8. spring — of water
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. root — of a word
  13. mark — a grade
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. root — the cause
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. chip — to eat
  21. kick — in football
  22. spring — the season
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. chip — in a computer

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