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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: craft · root · present · patient · spring · rest · stock · rock

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. present — the time now
  3. craft — boats
  4. present — a gift
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. spring — of water
  10. rock — a stone
  11. spring — a coil
  12. rock — music
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. spring — the season
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rest — a break
  19. present — there
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. root — of a word
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. craft — a skill

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