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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bore — to tire
  3. track — a song
  4. bark — to shout
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bank — for money
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. spring — of water
  12. stock — shares
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bore — to drill
  15. track — a path
  16. bank — of a river
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. track — to keep track
  20. spring — the season
  21. bank — for money
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stock — goods
  24. stem — of a plant

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