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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
468
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 · spring · trunk · bowl · kick · arm · safe · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. spring — a coil
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. spring — of water
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. stock — shares
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — in football
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. spring — the season

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