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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · mouse · patient · stock · ruler · toast

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stock — shares
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stock — goods

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