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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. root — of a word
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mine — for digging
  8. wax — to grow
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. fork — in a road
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. root — the cause
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stand — to bear
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. root — of a plant
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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