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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 · chip · wax · patient · rush · pit · arm · bear

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stock — goods
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. chip — for betting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — shares
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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