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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. root — of a plant
  3. suit — in cards
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. root — of a word
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — letters
  9. suit — to fit
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. branch — a division
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. suit — clothes
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. root — the cause
  19. spell — a short time
  20. board — to get on
  21. game — wild animals
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. board — a committee
  24. nail — for a hammer

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