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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. clip — to cut
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bass — the fish
  5. board — a committee
  6. clip — for paper
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. sharp — clever
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bass — low music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. board — to get on
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. clip — a video
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. root — of a plant
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. root — the cause

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