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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: fine · stem · bass · mouse · race · patient · bound · wound

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. race — the arms race
  5. wound — an injury
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — the fish
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bass — low music
  12. bound — certain
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. race — humankind
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fine — all right
  18. race — a contest
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bound — obliged
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bound — tied together
  24. stem — to come from

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