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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: court · root · spell · patient · row · staff · lash · mouse

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. row — to paddle
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. spell — a short time
  6. court — of law
  7. staff — a stick
  8. court — of a king
  9. root — the cause
  10. spell — letters
  11. staff — employees
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. root — of a plant
  14. staff — employees
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. court — for sport
  20. row — a line
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. root — of a word
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. spell — magic

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