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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: field · safe · last · tear · mug · patient · mark · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. field — a subject
  3. mark — a trace
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. last — to go on
  6. tear — to rip
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mug — a cup
  9. last — finally
  10. mug — a face
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. field — farmland
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. tear — from crying
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. field — for sport
  23. tear — from crying
  24. last — final

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