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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 116 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.

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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: mouse · cue · wake · degree · root · patient · calf · stick

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. root — of a word
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. root — of a plant
  8. cue — for pool
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. root — the cause
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. cue — a hint
  20. wake — a trail
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — an amount
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. degree — temperature

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