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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: present · root · patient · trunk · mouse · field · bass · firm

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. firm — steady
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. field — farmland
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. field — for sport
  8. present — there
  9. firm — decided
  10. bass — the fish
  11. present — the time now
  12. firm — a company
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. present — a gift
  16. field — a subject
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a word
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bass — low music
  23. root — of a plant
  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