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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
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 · fan · stem · rash · patient · bat · land · vault

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. root — of a plant
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. vault — a safe
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. root — the cause
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bat — the animal
  12. rash — a series
  13. stem — to come from
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. root — of a word
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — ground
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. land — a country
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. patient — a sick person

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