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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. content — the amount
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. drill — the tool
  6. root — the cause
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. drill — army training
  16. saw — the tool
  17. can — a tin
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. can — a tin
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. content — happy
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. drill — a practice

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