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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.

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: stem · stand · swing · content · stock · key · patient · bulb

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — to come from
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. key — in music
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. swing — to play on
  22. content — happy
  23. content — the amount
  24. bulb — for light

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