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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.

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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: key · spell · lie · patient · leaves · stem · shower · tube

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — rain
  6. key — for a lock
  7. shower — to wash
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. lie — to recline
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. key — the most important part
  14. spell — letters
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — a container
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. key — in music
  24. leaves — of a tree

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