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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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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: perch · sharp · content · root · patient · nail · key · ruler

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. key — for a lock
  7. sharp — clever
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. content — happy
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. key — the most important part
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. content — the amount
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. root — of a plant
  22. perch — the fish
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. key — in music

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