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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 120 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. root — of a word
  4. net — after costs
  5. craft — boats
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. net — for catching
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. root — of a plant
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. root — the cause
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. net — in sport

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