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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.

Make a worksheet

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: patient · kick · wake · root · march · track · season · cabinet

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. march — music
  5. track — a path
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. track — to keep track
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. season — of the year
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — in sport
  13. march — the month
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. root — of a word
  20. march — the month
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. root — of a plant
  23. track — a song
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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