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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. fine — high quality
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — in golf
  5. root — the cause
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. swing — music
  8. root — of a plant
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. can — a tin
  14. march — music
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. march — the month
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. fine — all right
  22. pit — in a race
  23. march — the month
  24. pit — a hole

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