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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: roll · root · spring · patient · pitch · straw · drill · safe

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. spring — the season
  3. drill — the tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. roll — a cake
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. root — of a word
  9. spring — of water
  10. drill — a practice
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. roll — a list
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. spring — a coil
  21. drill — army training
  22. pitch — completely
  23. root — of a plant
  24. patient — a sick person

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