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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — shares
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. pop — to visit
  5. wax — to grow
  6. cue — a signal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pop — soda
  10. bank — for money
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. stand — to bear
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pop — music
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bank — of a river
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bank — for money
  24. saw — the tool

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