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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. root — of a word
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. root — of a plant
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. degree — from a university
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bat — the animal
  18. degree — an amount
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. rule — a law
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. root — the cause

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