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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: pop · suit · patient · band · stem · swing · mate · firm

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. firm — a company
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mate — to breed
  6. pop — to visit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a music group
  10. mate — a friend
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. swing — in golf
  13. firm — decided
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. firm — steady
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stem — to come from
  19. pop — music
  20. mate — a partner
  21. swing — music
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pop — soda
  24. stem — of a plant

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