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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. band — a music group
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. mug — a face
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. band — a ring
  10. present — the time now
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. present — there
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stem — to come from
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. row — a line
  23. present — a gift
  24. row — to paddle

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