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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.

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: wind · saw · net · patient · suit · date · stem · wound

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. date — the fruit
  3. stem — to come from
  4. net — in sport
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — in cards
  11. net — for catching
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. suit — clothes
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. net — after costs
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. suit — to fit

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