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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.

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: trunk · kick · suit · root · rash · season · patient · deal

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. season — in sport
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. root — of a plant
  10. suit — clothes
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rash — hasty
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. root — of a word
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. kick — in football
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. suit — to fit
  21. season — of the year
  22. deal — to handle
  23. root — the cause
  24. kick — a thrill

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