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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.

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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: foot · rest · hide · squash · date · patient · ball · stem

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rest — what's left
  3. squash — to crush
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rest — what's left
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. ball — a dance
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ball — a great time
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. date — the fruit
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — to come from
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. rest — a break
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. foot — a measure
  23. squash — the sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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