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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: stem · foot · patient · pop · wake · kick · stock · lie

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stock — shares
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pop — soda
  13. stock — goods
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stem — to come from
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pop — to visit
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pop — music
  24. stock — a soup base

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