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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.

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: patient · key · root · wound · land · scale · last · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wound — an injury
  3. last — final
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. land — to come down
  7. scale — in music
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. key — for a lock
  10. root — of a plant
  11. key — in music
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. last — finally
  14. land — ground
  15. land — a country
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. key — the most important part
  18. root — of a word
  19. wound — an injury
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. root — the cause
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. last — to go on

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