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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: patient · stem · bulb · band · deal · stand · toast · bass

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a music group
  5. toast — bread
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bass — the fish
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bass — low music
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stem — to come from
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stand — to bear
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. band — a ring
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bass — the instrument

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