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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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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: coach · stand · stock · temple · patient · stick

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. stock — shares
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. patient — a sick person

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