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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.

Make a worksheet

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

Word bank: root · patient · safe · pop · plane · mine · hide · prune

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pop — to visit
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. root — the cause
  7. mine — for digging
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pop — music
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. prune — to trim
  13. root — of a plant
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pop — soda
  16. root — of a word
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. plane — a tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mine — an explosive

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