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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: suit · patient · bat · nail · stock · lean · pass · toast

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. lean — thin
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. stock — goods
  8. suit — in cards
  9. toast — bread
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pass — a permit
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bat — the animal
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. lean — to bend
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stock — shares
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bat — in an idiom

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