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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 · present · root · stock · dip · field · sharp · patient

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. field — a subject
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stock — goods
  9. rule — a law
  10. field — farmland
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. field — for sport
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — a gift
  16. sharp — clever
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rule — government
  19. stock — shares
  20. root — of a word
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rule — to rule out

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