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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: plane · club · stick · patient · court · bulb · stem · track

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. track — a song
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. track — to keep track
  7. club — a group
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bulb — for light
  11. court — of law
  12. court — of a king
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. track — a path
  15. club — for golf
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. club — for dancing
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. court — for sport
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. plane — a tool
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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