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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.

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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. root — of a plant
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. fork — in a road
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. root — of a word
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. root — the cause
  20. lie — to recline
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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