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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
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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: stick · hand · fine · patient · mark · stem · nail · present

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. present — the time now
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. present — there
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. hand — help
  9. present — a gift
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. hand — in cards
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. mark — a trace
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mark — a grade
  19. fine — all right
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — to come from
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. fine — high quality

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