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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 116 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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. field — for sport
  3. root — the cause
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mark — a grade
  9. field — farmland
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. ball — a great time
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. root — of a plant
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. field — a subject
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. stand — to bear
  24. craft — boats

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