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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: file · fork · bass · stem · spring · patient · mouse · suit

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bass — low music
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. suit — in cards
  9. spring — the season
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a line of people
  12. stem — to come from
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. spring — of water
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. spring — a coil
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stem — of a plant

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