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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. chair — a leader
  3. object — an aim
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rash — a series
  9. rush — hurry
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. root — of a word
  16. object — to protest
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. root — of a plant
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. deal — to handle
  22. object — a thing
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rash — hasty

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