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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: can · patient · sharp · kick · degree · band · mouse · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. can — a tin
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. root — of a word
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — an amount
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. band — a music group
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. band — a ring
  19. degree — from a university
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. sharp — clever
  22. root — the cause
  23. kick — in football
  24. mouse — for a computer

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