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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.

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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: patient · leaves · hand · root · straw · bowl · net · ruler

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. root — of a plant
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. net — in sport
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. root — of a word
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bowl — to roll

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