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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: ball · patient · game · bark · mate · suit · root · face

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bark — to shout
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mate — a partner
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mate — a friend
  9. ball — a dance
  10. game — a match
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mate — to breed
  13. root — the cause
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. suit — in cards
  18. face — to confront
  19. root — of a word
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. face — to point toward
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. face — part of the head

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