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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.

Make a worksheet

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: file · root · key · nail · ball · face · bulb · cap

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. root — the cause
  5. bulb — for light
  6. root — of a word
  7. cap — a lid
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. file — a line of people
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — part of the head
  13. file — a document
  14. face — to confront
  15. key — the most important part
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. root — of a plant
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. file — a tool
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bulb — for light

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