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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fork — in a road
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. root — the cause
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. shower — to wash
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. shower — rain
  19. root — of a word
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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