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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pass — a permit
  3. object — an aim
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. perch — the fish
  8. object — to protest
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. object — a thing
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. root — the cause
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — of a word
  21. root — of a plant
  22. present — there
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. foot — part of the body

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