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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: club · root · nail · patient · safe · mouse · season · swing

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. club — a group
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. club — for golf
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. root — the cause
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. club — for dancing
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. season — in sport
  21. root — of a plant
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. swing — to play on
  24. season — of the year

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