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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. spring — a coil
  4. race — humankind
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. spring — of water
  7. stand — to bear
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. race — a contest
  10. race — the arms race
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stock — shares
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stock — goods
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. spring — the season
  24. object — a thing

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