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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. root — the cause
  7. kick — in football
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. shower — to wash
  11. staff — employees
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fine — all right
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. shower — rain
  20. fine — high quality
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. staff — employees
  23. root — of a plant
  24. staff — a stick

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