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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 116 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bank — for money
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. root — of a word
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. swing — music
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. degree — from a university
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bank — of a river
  15. root — the cause
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. root — of a plant
  18. degree — temperature
  19. fork — in a road
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. degree — an amount
  23. bank — for money
  24. coach — a trainer

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