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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 · land · patient · lean · game · press · can · cell

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. press — newspapers
  4. root — of a word
  5. land — a country
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a plant
  8. cell — in biology
  9. press — a publisher
  10. game — wild animals
  11. land — to come down
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. can — to be able to
  14. cell — a phone
  15. press — to push
  16. land — ground
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. game — a match
  21. can — a tin
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. can — a tin
  24. lean — to rest against

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