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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: jam · rash · plane · wake · wind · bound · root · patient

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wind — moving air
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bound — tied together
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rash — hasty
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wind — moving air
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rash — a series
  24. wake — a trail

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