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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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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: rule · shower · bay · racket · patient · root · scale · craft

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. root — the cause
  3. shower — to wash
  4. root — of a word
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. craft — a skill
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. craft — boats
  13. scale — in music
  14. rule — government
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. shower — rain
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. root — of a plant
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. rule — a law

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