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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: firm · file · patient · stock · charge · cell · board · club

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. firm — decided
  3. board — to get on
  4. file — a line of people
  5. charge — electricity
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stock — shares
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. club — for golf
  11. firm — steady
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. charge — a price
  15. board — a committee
  16. charge — in control
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cell — a phone
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. stock — goods
  21. file — a document
  22. cell — in biology
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. firm — a company

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