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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: mouse · mine · snap · patient · dip · present · stem · leaves

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. present — the time now
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. present — there
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. present — a gift
  16. mine — for digging
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. snap — to click
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mouse — the animal

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