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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 · pitch · racket · patient · object · arm · bulb · lie

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bulb — for light
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. object — to protest
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. object — an aim
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bulb — for light
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. pitch — completely
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. object — a thing
  24. arm — part of the body

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