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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
468
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: patient · stock · firm · object · chest · saw · temple · wound

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. stock — shares
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. object — to protest
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. chest — of your body
  12. firm — steady
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. object — a thing
  17. firm — a company
  18. saw — the tool
  19. object — an aim
  20. wound — an injury
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. firm — decided
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. chest — of your body

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