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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: stock · prune · patient · bank · mug · land · ruler · wave

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. land — ground
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — a cup
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mug — to rob
  9. stock — goods
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mug — a face
  13. bank — for money
  14. stock — shares
  15. land — a country
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bank — for money
  24. land — to come down

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