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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.

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: coach · hide · patient · stem · mouse · bulb · jam · pass

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  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. bulb — of a plant
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bulb — for light
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stem — to come from
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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