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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 116 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: wave · rash · trunk · root · staff · patient · hand · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rash — hasty
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. root — of a word
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. staff — employees
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. staff — employees
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. hand — in cards
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. staff — a stick
  23. hand — help
  24. wave — with your hand

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