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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. root — of a plant
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. rock — music
  7. sharp — clever
  8. roll — a cake
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. rock — a stone
  15. plane — a tool
  16. roll — a list
  17. root — of a word
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. root — the cause
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. prune — to trim

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