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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · field · plane · cabinet · ball · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. field — for sport
  3. field — farmland
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. plane — a tool
  11. field — a subject
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stem — to come from
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. patient — a sick person

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