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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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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: deal · mate · bowl · root · key · nail · wave · squash

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. root — the cause
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. root — of a word
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. squash — to crush
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. root — of a plant
  17. key — in music
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mate — a friend

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