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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wax — to grow
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bound — tied together
  6. foot — a measure
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a music group
  9. present — there
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. root — of a word
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — certain
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — the time now
  24. root — the cause

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