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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
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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: stock · key · bowl · bass · patient · chest · season · foot

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. season — of the year
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. key — for a lock
  6. chest — of your body
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — a box
  12. season — in sport
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stock — shares
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stock — goods
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bass — the fish
  22. key — in music
  23. bass — low music
  24. foot — a measure

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