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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: foot · stem · patient · bear · rush · wound · deal · staff

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. staff — employees
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. staff — employees
  6. foot — a measure
  7. staff — a stick
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. deal — to handle
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stem — to come from
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bear — the animal

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