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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. spell — magic
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. root — of a word
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bear — the animal
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ball — a dance
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. land — to come down
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. spell — letters
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. sharp — clever
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. land — a country
  22. land — ground
  23. root — the cause
  24. patient — a sick person

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