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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: nail · bulb · fine · saw · key · deal · stem · root

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. root — of a plant
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. root — of a word
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. saw — the tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. deal — to handle
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. root — the cause
  20. saw — the tool
  21. key — in music
  22. stem — to come from
  23. fine — all right
  24. key — for a lock

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