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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.

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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: stem · band · patient · board · tube · scale · snap · season

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. tube — a container
  5. board — to get on
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. scale — in music
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. band — a ring
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. board — a committee
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. scale — size or range
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. band — a music group
  23. snap — to click
  24. tube — the underground

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