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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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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: object · craft · press · last · patient · fall · file · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  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 — of a plant
  2. object — an aim
  3. file — a line of people
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. object — a thing
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. file — a document
  10. fall — to drop
  11. press — a publisher
  12. stem — to come from
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. press — newspapers
  15. last — to go on
  16. file — a tool
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. object — to protest
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. last — finally
  23. press — to push
  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