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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stock — shares
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. face — to point toward
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. stock — goods
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. face — to confront
  16. plane — a tool
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. face — part of the head
  19. firm — decided
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. firm — a company
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — to eat
  24. firm — steady

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