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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: root · fork · net · squash · ball · patient · bank · kid

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bank — for money
  7. root — of a plant
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. net — after costs
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ball — a great time
  14. kid — to tease
  15. squash — the sport
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. net — in sport
  18. ball — a dance
  19. net — for catching
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bank — of a river
  22. root — the cause
  23. bank — for money
  24. kid — child

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