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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stock — goods
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a document
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. snap — to click
  14. stand — to bear
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. file — a tool
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stock — shares
  24. current — electric

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