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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. key — the most important part
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cell — a phone
  9. key — in music
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. key — for a lock
  13. root — of a word
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. root — the cause
  18. cell — in biology
  19. sharp — clever
  20. prune — to trim
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. prune — to trim
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. prune — the fruit

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