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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 116 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: rule · firm · patient · stem · can · cue · season · rock

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. season — of the year
  5. rock — music
  6. firm — steady
  7. can — to be able to
  8. season — in sport
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rule — government
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. can — a tin
  13. firm — a company
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rule — a law
  18. stem — to come from
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cue — a signal
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. firm — decided
  23. can — a tin
  24. patient — a sick person

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