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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — to come from
  5. pop — to visit
  6. can — a tin
  7. pop — music
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stock — goods
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pop — soda
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stock — shares
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. dip — to sink
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. can — to be able to

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