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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: rest · stick · wound · rock · stem · patient · bulb · bat

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rock — music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bat — the animal
  23. rest — a break
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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