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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: root · shower · bear · fine · patient · saw · suit · wave

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. 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. fine — a penalty
  2. saw — the tool
  3. shower — to wash
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. suit — clothes
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. suit — to fit
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fine — high quality
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. root — of a word
  18. shower — rain
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fine — all right
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. 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