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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. land — a country
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. spring — a coil
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. kick — in football
  7. root — the cause
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. land — to come down
  10. spring — of water
  11. root — of a plant
  12. land — ground
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. spring — the season
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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