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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: patient · season · cap · file · fine · racket · mug · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. fine — all right
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a tool
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. cap — a hat
  7. file — a line of people
  8. mug — a face
  9. season — in sport
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stem — to come from
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. cap — a lid
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fine — high quality
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. cap — of ice
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. season — of the year

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