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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. drill — the tool
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. drill — army training
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. hand — help
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. drill — a practice
  17. rule — a law
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rule — government
  21. hand — in cards
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. cabinet — ministers

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