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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: jam · patient · dip · nail · root · field · straw · track

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. dip — to sink
  3. track — to keep track
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. field — a subject
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. field — farmland
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. track — a song
  11. root — of a word
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. track — a path
  22. root — the cause
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. field — for sport

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