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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: swing · patient · object · bat · court · cabinet · wound · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wound — an injury
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. swing — music
  11. object — an aim
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. object — a thing
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of a king
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. swing — in golf
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. object — to protest
  20. swing — to play on
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. root — of a word
  23. court — of law
  24. bat — the animal

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