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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rock — music
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. root — the cause
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. calf — a young animal

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