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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — to sink
  3. chip — to eat
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bore — to tire
  9. deal — to handle
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. branch — a division
  13. stock — goods
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bore — to drill
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. chip — for betting
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. branch — of a bank

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