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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 116 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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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: mark · patient · root · tear · fine · sharp · pop · calf

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pop — music
  5. root — the cause
  6. fine — all right
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. tear — from crying
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — clever
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pop — to visit
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mark — a grade
  18. tear — to rip
  19. root — of a plant
  20. tear — from crying
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. root — of a word
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. fine — high quality

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