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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.

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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: root · arm · fall · bulb · pop · patient · stock · nail

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bulb — for light
  5. root — of a word
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pop — soda
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pop — to visit
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pop — music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. fall — the season
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. stock — shares
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fall — to drop
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stock — goods

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