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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 116 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: bass · wave · prune · stock · patient · stem · face · cell

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stock — shares
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stock — goods
  13. cell — a phone
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bass — low music
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stem — to come from
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. cell — in biology
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — part of the head
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. face — to confront

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