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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.

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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: bark · stick · temple · stand · dip · patient · stem · net

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. net — for catching
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to sink
  13. net — in sport
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. net — after costs
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bark — to shout
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stand — to bear
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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