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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: spring · sharp · safe · patient · stock · bowl · swing · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. swing — music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — a coil
  8. swing — in golf
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bank — for money
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bank — of a river
  17. stock — goods
  18. sharp — clever
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stock — shares
  24. spring — of water

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