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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.

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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: content · bay · root · chest · current · patient · plane · fork

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. fork — in a road
  3. chest — a box
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. content — the amount
  15. root — of a word
  16. current — electric
  17. chest — of your body
  18. current — happening now
  19. chest — of your body
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. current — of water
  22. plane — a tool
  23. content — happy
  24. fork — to eat with

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