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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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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: firm · stem · fine · patient · cap · plane · stock · present

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stock — goods
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. present — a gift
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stock — shares
  8. cap — of ice
  9. present — the time now
  10. cap — a hat
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. stem — to come from
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. cap — a lid
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fine — all right
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. present — there

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