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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 · patient · net · plane · stem · stock · sharp · club

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. net — in sport
  5. dip — to sink
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stock — shares
  9. sharp — clever
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. club — for golf
  13. stem — to come from
  14. club — for dancing
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. stock — goods
  18. club — a group
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. net — after costs
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. net — for catching

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