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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. stand — to bear
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. firm — decided
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. firm — steady
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. fork — in a road
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. drill — the tool
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. drill — a practice
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bank — for money
  22. stock — shares
  23. firm — a company
  24. drill — army training

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