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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mug — a cup
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. can — to be able to
  9. mug — a face
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. can — a tin
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — a series
  14. can — a tin
  15. stem — to come from
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bass — the fish
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bass — low music
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wax — to grow

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