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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: pass · mine · prune · root · suit · face · row · patient

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. face — part of the head
  3. root — of a plant
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. suit — in cards
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. pass — a permit
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. row — a line
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. face — to point toward
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mine — for digging
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. face — to confront

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