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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.

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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: rock · safe · object · face · capital · patient · ball · root

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. object — to protest
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. root — the cause
  8. object — an aim
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. object — a thing
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. capital — money
  15. face — to confront
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. face — part of the head
  19. ball — a dance
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. ball — a great time
  24. capital — a city

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