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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: cabinet · patient · chip · drill · plane · root · game · capital

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. drill — a practice
  6. chip — to eat
  7. drill — army training
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — wild animals
  11. drill — the tool
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. root — the cause
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — a city
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. game — a match
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. chip — for betting
  23. capital — money
  24. patient — a sick person

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