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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. object — a thing
  5. root — of a plant
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bass — the fish
  8. object — an aim
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. row — to paddle
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bass — low music
  13. capital — a city
  14. object — to protest
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. capital — money
  17. suit — to fit
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. row — a line
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. spell — magic
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. spell — letters

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