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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. land — ground
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. can — to be able to
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — a country
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. can — a tin
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. can — a tin
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stand — to bear
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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