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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. root — of a plant
  4. hand — help
  5. race — humankind
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. root — the cause
  10. race — a contest
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — in cards
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. root — of a word
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bat — the animal
  21. race — the arms race
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. temple — a place of worship

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