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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: spring · stock · rock · net · ruler · patient · firm · mug

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. spring — the season
  8. mug — a cup
  9. spring — of water
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mug — to rob
  12. stock — shares
  13. mug — a face
  14. firm — decided
  15. spring — a coil
  16. net — for catching
  17. firm — steady
  18. stock — goods
  19. net — after costs
  20. rock — music
  21. net — in sport
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. firm — a company
  24. 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