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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — a partner
  4. root — of a plant
  5. content — the amount
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mug — to rob
  8. root — the cause
  9. mate — to breed
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fall — to drop
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. root — of a word
  22. content — happy
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. content — videos and posts

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