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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: rock · prune · root · nail · patient · calf · stock · cell

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stock — goods
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. root — the cause
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. stock — shares
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. prune — to trim
  14. root — of a word
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cell — in biology
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. root — of a plant

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