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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 120 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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. root — of a word
  3. fine — high quality
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. plane — a tool
  6. stand — to bear
  7. root — the cause
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. root — of a plant
  15. land — ground
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. fine — all right
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. land — a country
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. land — to come down

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