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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.

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: patient · root · ball · content · suit · band · squash · present

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. present — the time now
  3. root — of a word
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. present — there
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. root — the cause
  8. suit — to fit
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. present — a gift
  13. suit — in cards
  14. content — happy
  15. ball — a great time
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. root — of a plant
  18. content — the amount
  19. squash — to crush
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. band — a ring
  22. ball — a dance
  23. squash — the sport
  24. suit — clothes

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