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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 116 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 · suit · ball · club · land · mark · mug · stock

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. suit — to fit
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stock — shares
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mark — a grade
  9. suit — clothes
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stock — goods
  12. land — a country
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for golf
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mug — a cup
  21. ball — a dance
  22. land — to come down
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ball — a round shape

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