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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 116 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. spell — magic
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — letters
  7. stand — to bear
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rock — music
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — goods
  12. tear — to rip
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. tear — from crying
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stock — a soup base

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