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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 124 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. fine — all right
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. can — to be able to
  10. staff — employees
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — goods
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. row — a line
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. can — a tin
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fine — high quality
  23. staff — a stick
  24. can — a tin

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