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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: scale · face · spell · tear · root · object · saw · patient

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. spell — a short time
  3. object — to protest
  4. root — the cause
  5. spell — magic
  6. saw — the tool
  7. tear — from crying
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. object — a thing
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. saw — the tool
  12. scale — in music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. root — of a word
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. tear — from crying
  17. root — of a plant
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — part of the head
  20. tear — to rip
  21. scale — size or range
  22. face — to point toward
  23. spell — letters
  24. object — an aim

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