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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: trunk · fall · root · ground · nail · mark · patient · mate

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. root — of a plant
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. ground — crushed
  5. fall — the season
  6. ground — a position
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ground — the earth
  9. root — of a word
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. root — the cause
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mate — a friend
  24. trunk — of a tree

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