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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rock — a stone
  7. spring — the season
  8. root — of a word
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fine — all right
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. key — the most important part
  13. root — of a plant
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. fine — high quality
  17. root — the cause
  18. spring — of water
  19. rock — music
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. key — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. spring — a coil

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