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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 120 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: patient · rock · rush · arm · key · stock · current · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. stock — goods
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. shower — to wash
  8. current — happening now
  9. stock — shares
  10. shower — rain
  11. key — the most important part
  12. current — of water
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. key — for a lock
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. key — in music
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. current — electric

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