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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: root · spring · patient · stock · wound · lie · mug · bass

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stock — goods
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stock — shares
  12. root — the cause
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — a cup
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bass — low music
  19. spring — the season
  20. spring — a coil
  21. root — of a word
  22. spring — of water
  23. mug — to rob
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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