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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: root · hide · ground · chair · branch · patient · object · rock

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. ground — a position
  3. root — of a word
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. root — the cause
  9. object — an aim
  10. ground — the earth
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rock — music
  16. chair — a leader
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rock — a stone
  19. object — to protest
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. ground — crushed
  23. object — a thing
  24. branch — a division

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