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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 120 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 · fall · firm · file · patient · net · leaves · chip

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fall — to drop
  4. net — in sport
  5. firm — decided
  6. file — a document
  7. firm — a company
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. net — after costs
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. file — a tool
  12. net — for catching
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. chip — to eat
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stem — to come from
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. fall — to drop
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. firm — steady
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fall — the season
  24. chip — for betting

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