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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: root · key · patient · saw · leaves · board · mine · bowl

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. saw — the tool
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. key — for a lock
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. board — a committee
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. key — the most important part
  15. saw — the tool
  16. root — the cause
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. board — to get on
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. key — in music
  24. leaves — of a tree

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