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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.

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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: court · rock · snap · root · cue · hide · spring · patient

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rock — a stone
  4. cue — a signal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — of law
  8. cue — for pool
  9. root — of a word
  10. cue — a hint
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. spring — of water
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. spring — a coil
  15. rock — music
  16. root — the cause
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. court — for sport
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. spring — the season
  21. root — of a plant
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to click
  24. rock — to move gently

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