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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.

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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 · patient · mouse · straw · stick · pound · bulb · fine

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. fine — high quality
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. fine — all right
  24. mouse — the animal

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