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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bound — tied together
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rock — music
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bound — obliged
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bound — certain
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. coach — a trainer

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