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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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. root — of a word
  5. chair — a leader
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pop — music
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. firm — a company
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pop — to visit
  19. firm — steady
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. pop — soda
  23. root — the cause
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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