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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 120 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 · mate · bear · foot · hide · band · leaves · stem

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. band — a ring
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. band — a music group
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mate — a partner
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mate — to breed

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