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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 120 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bound — certain
  5. prune — to trim
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bore — to tire
  8. stock — shares
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rock — a stone
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — a box
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. prune — to trim
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bound — tied together
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rock — music

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