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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: nail · board · pitch · fork · plane · root · patient · stock

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. board — to get on
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. root — the cause
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. stock — goods
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stock — shares
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pitch — completely
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. fork — in a road
  24. plane — a tool

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