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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 120 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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. stock — shares
  12. firm — decided
  13. tear — from crying
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. chest — of your body
  17. firm — a company
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. firm — steady
  22. tear — to rip
  23. tear — from crying
  24. safe — out of danger

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