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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: patient · lean · bore · root · fan · pitch · chair · wax

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pitch — completely
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chair — a leader
  6. root — the cause
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. root — of a word
  14. bore — to tire
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bore — to drill
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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