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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 124 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. root — the cause
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bark — to shout
  6. club — for dancing
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. can — a tin
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. root — of a plant
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. shower — to wash
  15. club — a group
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. club — for golf
  19. can — a tin
  20. shower — rain
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. root — of a word
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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