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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mark — a grade
  6. root — the cause
  7. pop — soda
  8. firm — a company
  9. pop — to visit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. spring — the season
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. root — of a word
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. spring — a coil
  20. mark — a trace
  21. firm — steady
  22. spring — of water
  23. firm — decided
  24. pop — music

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