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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.

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: dip · fine · cap · patient · bat · stem · file · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. dip — to sink
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a tool
  11. fine — high quality
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. fine — all right
  14. cap — a hat
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rock — music
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bat — the animal
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. file — a document
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. cap — of ice

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