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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. date — the fruit
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. march — the month
  11. stock — goods
  12. ball — a dance
  13. march — the month
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. march — music
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stock — shares

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