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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.

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: bay · patient · chair · root · track · field · lie · saw

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. root — of a word
  4. track — a path
  5. field — farmland
  6. saw — the tool
  7. root — the cause
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. root — of a plant
  13. track — to keep track
  14. field — a subject
  15. field — for sport
  16. track — a song
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lie — to recline
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bay — a horse colour

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