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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 · row · mouse · arm · content · fine · stand

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stand — to bear
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. content — the amount
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. row — to paddle
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. content — happy
  24. arm — a part of something

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