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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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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a word
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. present — the time now
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bulb — for light
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. suit — clothes
  16. root — of a plant
  17. band — a ring
  18. present — a gift
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. present — there
  23. bulb — for light
  24. suit — in cards

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