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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: patient · swing · hide · fine · mate · stem · can · chair

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. swing — music
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. can — to be able to
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. swing — to play on
  8. mate — a friend
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mate — to breed
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. swing — in golf
  13. fine — all right
  14. chair — a leader
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mate — a partner
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. can — a tin
  21. stem — to come from
  22. can — a tin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fine — high quality

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