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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pit — in a race
  3. clip — a video
  4. root — the cause
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. clip — to cut
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wake — a trail
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pit — a hole
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. clip — for paper
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. temple — a place of worship

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