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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 · dip · spring · coach · deal · bulb · trunk · stick

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. dip — to sink
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. spring — a coil
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spring — the season
  16. bulb — for light
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. spring — of water
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. dip — to dunk

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