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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: suit · firm · mine · patient · sharp · mate · mark · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. suit — in cards
  3. firm — steady
  4. root — the cause
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. suit — clothes
  9. firm — a company
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mate — a partner
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. suit — to fit
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mate — to breed
  21. firm — decided
  22. root — of a plant
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. patient — a sick person

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