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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: root · squash · patient · fork · cabinet · saw · spring · object

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. object — an aim
  4. spring — of water
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. root — of a plant
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. object — to protest
  15. spring — a coil
  16. saw — the tool
  17. squash — the sport
  18. root — the cause
  19. spring — the season
  20. object — a thing
  21. squash — to crush
  22. root — of a word
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fork — to eat with

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