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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: squash · patient · wound · mark · fan · coach · fork · stem

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fork — in a road
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. squash — to crush
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mark — a trace
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. squash — the sport
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. stem — to come from
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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