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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: pop · scale · stem · rush · plane · bass · patient · field

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. scale — in music
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pop — soda
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. field — for sport
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. field — farmland
  15. scale — size or range
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stem — to come from
  19. field — a subject
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bass — low music
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. plane — a tool

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