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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: race · wave · bass · patient · stand · date · root · fork

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — humankind
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. date — the fruit
  7. race — a contest
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. root — the cause
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — to bear
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bass — the fish
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. root — of a word
  21. bass — low music
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bass — the instrument

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