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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bound — tied together
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. root — the cause
  6. present — the time now
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. suit — to fit
  10. present — a gift
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. suit — in cards
  14. root — of a word
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. suit — clothes
  17. present — there
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — letters
  20. pitch — completely
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bound — obliged
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bound — certain

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