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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: mug · season · patient · bulb · stem · swing · object · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bulb — for light
  3. season — in sport
  4. object — to protest
  5. bulb — for light
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. object — a thing
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. season — of the year
  13. swing — music
  14. firm — a company
  15. stem — to come from
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. firm — steady
  19. mug — a face
  20. swing — in golf
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. object — an aim

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