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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. face — to point toward
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bulb — for light
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. land — a country
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. land — ground
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. face — part of the head
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bulb — for light
  19. face — to confront
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. land — to come down
  23. fork — in a road
  24. sharp — with an edge

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