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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 116 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: wake · nail · saw · root · deal · staff · track · fine

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. staff — employees
  3. root — the cause
  4. track — a song
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. staff — a stick
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fine — high quality
  10. deal — to handle
  11. staff — employees
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. wake — a trail
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fine — all right
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. track — a path
  19. root — of a word
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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