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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: scale · fine · kid · stock · deal · leaves · net · patient

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. net — for catching
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. scale — size or range
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — all right
  12. deal — to handle
  13. net — in sport
  14. stock — goods
  15. scale — in music
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. stock — shares
  19. kid — to tease
  20. fine — high quality
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. net — after costs
  24. deal — an agreement

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