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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: mine · firm · key · rule · fork · bass · root · patient

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rule — a law
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rule — government
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — low music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — steady
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. firm — decided
  20. mine — for digging
  21. key — in music
  22. root — of a word
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. firm — a company

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