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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: deal · stem · squash · patient · bulb · ruler · date · mouse

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bulb — for light
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — for light
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. squash — the sport
  13. date — the fruit
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. stem — to come from
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. deal — to handle
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stem — of a plant

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