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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: cue · staff · shower · lie · bark · root · patient · fine

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. staff — employees
  3. root — the cause
  4. cue — a hint
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. staff — employees
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. cue — for pool
  9. root — of a plant
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. root — of a word
  13. lie — to recline
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. cue — a signal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — to shout
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — rain
  24. fine — all right

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