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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.

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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. object — to protest
  4. perch — the fish
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. craft — boats
  8. rule — government
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. object — a thing
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. object — an aim
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — of a word
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. craft — a skill
  24. root — of a plant

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