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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 116 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. spring — of water
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rest — a break
  8. root — of a plant
  9. rest — what's left
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. content — happy
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rush — hurry
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. root — of a word
  21. content — the amount
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — a coil
  24. rush — a thrill

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