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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: stand · bat · ruler · patient · charge · rock · stock · hand

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. 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. bat — the animal
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. charge — a price
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. hand — help
  18. rock — a stone
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. charge — in control
  21. stock — shares
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. rock — music
  24. 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