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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.

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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: dip · suit · nail · shower · patient · present · prune · stem

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. present — the time now
  4. suit — in cards
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. present — there
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. shower — to wash
  13. stem — to come from
  14. present — a gift
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. dip — to sink
  18. shower — rain
  19. suit — clothes
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. suit — to fit
  24. patient — a sick person

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