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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: racket · net · fan · nail · hide · stem · patient · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stem — to come from
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. net — after costs
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. net — for catching
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. net — in sport
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. dip — to sink
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fan — a supporter

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