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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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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 · bowl · object · snap · bulb · rock · stem · bay

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. object — an aim
  4. rock — music
  5. stem — to come from
  6. object — to protest
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. object — a thing
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bulb — for light
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rock — to move gently

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