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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. hand — in cards
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. root — of a plant
  14. rule — a law
  15. root — the cause
  16. plane — a tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. hand — help
  23. rule — government
  24. firm — decided

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