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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stand — to bear
  3. root — of a plant
  4. net — in sport
  5. lean — thin
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. deal — to handle
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. net — for catching
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cue — a hint
  19. net — after costs
  20. fork — in a road
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — to bend
  23. cue — for pool
  24. fork — a garden tool

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