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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  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. root — of a plant
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. snap — to click
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pop — music
  8. root — the cause
  9. cue — a hint
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. lean — thin
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pop — soda
  15. cue — a signal
  16. root — of a word
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lean — to bend
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  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