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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. root — of a plant
  4. ball — a dance
  5. craft — boats
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. root — of a word
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mark — a trace
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stand — to bear
  18. root — the cause

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