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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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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: content · rest · patient · pop · stock · plane · stem · suit

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rest — what's left
  3. content — happy
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stock — goods
  6. pop — to visit
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pop — soda
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. stock — shares
  12. rest — what's left
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. content — the amount
  15. stem — to come from
  16. pop — music
  17. rest — a break
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. suit — to fit

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