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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: fine · pit · ball · bark · stem · patient · kick · foot

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. fine — all right
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. ball — a great time
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — a measure
  7. pit — in a race
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. stem — to come from
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pit — a hole
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. kick — in football
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. ball — a dance
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. ball — a round shape
  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