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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 120 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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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: wound · rule · lie · patient · rock · root · bear · cap

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. root — the cause
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rule — government
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. rock — music
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. root — of a word
  21. cap — of ice
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  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