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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. stock — goods
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mug — to rob
  7. row — to paddle
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mug — a face
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — all right
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stock — shares
  22. object — a thing
  23. mug — a cup
  24. row — a line

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