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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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468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — in sport
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. root — of a plant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. root — of a word
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. chair — a leader
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. root — the cause
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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