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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 120 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bank — for money
  5. bass — the fish
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. file — a document
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bank — of a river
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. pop — soda
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. mug — a face
  16. pop — to visit
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pop — music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. mug — a cup
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bank — for money
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bass — low music

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