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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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 plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. face — to confront
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. row — a line
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. root — of a word
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. face — part of the head
  24. row — to paddle

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