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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 116 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: wave · ruler · stem · clip · safe · spring · patient · board

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. board — a committee
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. board — to get on
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. spring — of water
  10. clip — a video
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. clip — for paper
  15. spring — the season
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. clip — to cut
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. spring — a coil
  24. wave — of the sea

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