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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rock — a stone
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ground — the earth
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ground — crushed
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fall — to drop
  11. root — of a word
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. root — the cause
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. track — a path
  20. ground — a position
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rock — music
  24. track — a song

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