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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. root — of a plant
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. root — the cause
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. root — of a word
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bound — tied together
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. net — after costs
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. net — in sport
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. net — for catching
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — certain

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