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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. squash — to crush
  5. lean — to bend
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. kick — in football
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. root — of a word
  11. lean — thin
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. squash — the sport
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. foot — a measure
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lean — to rest against

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