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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
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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: fall · coach · trunk · scale · patient · bass · bulb · root

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. root — of a word
  3. fall — to drop
  4. root — the cause
  5. bulb — for light
  6. scale — in music
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bass — the fish
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bass — low music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bulb — for light
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. scale — size or range
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fall — the season
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. root — of a plant

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