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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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Word bank
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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. kick — in football
  3. staff — a stick
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. staff — employees
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. root — the cause
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. staff — employees
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. root — of a plant
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. prune — to trim
  24. patient — a sick person

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