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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. stock — shares
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cue — a hint
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. stand — to bear
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. club — a group
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stock — goods
  24. stand — on your feet

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