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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 116 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: root · present · swing · deal · bulb · patient · cap · stick

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bulb — for light
  4. present — a gift
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. root — of a plant
  8. deal — to handle
  9. root — of a word
  10. present — there
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. root — the cause
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. swing — in golf
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. present — the time now
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cap — a hat
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. swing — music

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