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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: last · bay · root · club · kid · stick · patient · mug

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. club — a group
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. root — of a word
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. kid — child
  8. mug — a face
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. last — to go on
  11. root — the cause
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. last — finally
  14. kid — to tease
  15. mug — to rob
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. club — for dancing
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. root — of a plant
  22. last — final
  23. club — for golf
  24. mug — a cup

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