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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: patient · dip · wave · wake · row · stem · safe · wound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wake — a trail
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stem — to come from
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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