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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.

Make a worksheet

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: coach · bass · current · stock · land · wound · charge · patient

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. land — a country
  4. wound — an injury
  5. charge — a price
  6. land — ground
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bass — low music
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. stock — shares
  12. charge — in control
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stock — goods
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bass — the fish
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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