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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: nail · patient · court · lie · stock · bear · charge · saw

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. court — for sport
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — goods
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. saw — the tool
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. stock — shares
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lie — to recline
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. charge — in control
  22. court — of law
  23. bear — the animal
  24. saw — the tool

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