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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: patient · roll · net · field · root · stem · dip · bay

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. net — after costs
  5. field — farmland
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. field — a subject
  9. stem — to come from
  10. net — for catching
  11. root — the cause
  12. roll — a list
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. roll — a cake
  17. field — for sport
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. net — in sport
  24. root — of a word

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