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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · root · arm · patient · chip · coach

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. root — the cause
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. chip — to eat
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — of a word
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. chip — for betting

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