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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: jam · root · object · spell · bear · board · trunk · patient

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. board — a committee
  3. spell — letters
  4. board — to get on
  5. root — of a word
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. object — an aim
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — to protest
  12. spell — magic
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bear — the animal
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. root — the cause
  18. spell — a short time
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. root — of a plant
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. jam — in traffic

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