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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. root — the cause
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. can — a tin
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. can — a tin
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. can — to be able to
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. root — of a word
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — a division
  21. toast — bread
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — a city

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