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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: patient · bore · wound · stem · mug · bear · wave · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rest — a break
  4. mug — a face
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mug — to rob
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bore — to drill

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