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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: stem · board · craft · bear · patient · rash · wound · suit

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. suit — clothes
  3. board — a committee
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. suit — to fit
  6. craft — a skill
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wound — an injury
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bear — the animal
  16. board — to get on
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. craft — boats
  24. rash — hasty

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