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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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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 · snap · patient · temple · nail · rock · stick · cabinet

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. root — of a word
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. root — of a plant
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. snap — to click
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. root — the cause
  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