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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: present · bat · fine · patient · charge · root · key · rock

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. present — a gift
  3. root — of a word
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. key — for a lock
  9. present — there
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. present — the time now
  13. key — in music
  14. charge — electricity
  15. fine — all right
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bat — the animal
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. rock — music
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  24. rock — a stone

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