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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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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: bulb · pound · temple · root · prune · patient · mark · chip

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bulb — for light
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. root — of a word
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mark — a trace
  14. root — of a plant
  15. chip — to eat
  16. root — the cause
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mark — to pay attention

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