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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 120 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: root · safe · spring · branch · key · bat · cue · patient

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. cue — a hint
  4. spring — the season
  5. key — in music
  6. cue — a signal
  7. root — the cause
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. root — of a plant
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. branch — a division
  15. bat — the animal
  16. key — for a lock
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. root — of a word
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cue — for pool

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