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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 120 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: leaves · drill · stem · plane · root · patient · board · shower

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. stem — to come from
  3. drill — army training
  4. board — a committee
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. root — of a plant
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. board — to get on
  11. root — of a word
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. shower — rain
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — to wash
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. plane — a tool
  22. drill — a practice
  23. root — the cause
  24. leaves — lets stay

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