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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. content — happy
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. bass — the fish
  8. court — for sport
  9. bulb — for light
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. stem — to come from
  14. content — the amount
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bass — low music
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light

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