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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
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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: firm · spell · mine · bay · shower · cabinet · patient · root

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. firm — steady
  3. root — of a plant
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. firm — a company
  8. root — of a word
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. spell — letters
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. root — the cause
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. firm — decided
  16. spell — magic
  17. shower — rain
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — for digging
  22. spell — a short time
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bay — a horse colour

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