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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
468
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: patient · bay · rash · stem · leaves · mark · mate · fan

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mate — a partner
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mark — a trace
  9. stem — to come from
  10. rash — hasty
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. mate — a friend
  22. rash — a series
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mark — a grade

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