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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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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: capital · root · fork · craft · lean · patient · board · wound

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. wound — an injury
  2. craft — boats
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. capital — a city
  5. root — of a plant
  6. lean — to bend
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. lean — thin
  9. fork — in a road
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. root — the cause
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. board — to get on
  17. capital — money
  18. root — of a word
  19. board — a committee
  20. wound — an injury
  21. craft — a skill
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. lean — to rest against
  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