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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. root — of a word
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pitch — completely
  7. firm — decided
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wake — a trail
  17. root — of a plant
  18. firm — steady
  19. root — the cause
  20. firm — a company
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. face — to confront
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. ruler — a monarch

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