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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 120 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. 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. pitcher — a jug
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. can — to be able to
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bulb — for light
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. 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