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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: mouse · lie · patient · lash · fork · root

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. 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. lie — an untruth
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. root — the cause
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. root — of a plant
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. root — of a word
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lie — to recline
  18. 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