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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: current · patient · face · bay · land · safe · root · squash

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. land — to come down
  5. root — of a plant
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. current — happening now
  8. land — a country
  9. current — electric
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. land — ground
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. current — of water
  19. face — to point toward
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. root — of a word
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. root — the cause

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