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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.

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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 · lie · staff · stem · land · club · pit · suit

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. club — for dancing
  4. suit — clothes
  5. land — a country
  6. staff — employees
  7. suit — in cards
  8. club — a group
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. club — for golf
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — ground
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. staff — employees
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — a hole
  18. staff — a stick
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stem — to come from
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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