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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wound — an injury
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a document
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. root — of a plant
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. file — a tool
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. perch — the fish
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. foot — a measure
  19. root — the cause
  20. wound — an injury
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cell — a phone
  24. root — of a word

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