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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: patient · hide · foot · cue · key · stock · mine · bark

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mine — for digging
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. cue — for pool
  10. key — the most important part
  11. stock — goods
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. key — in music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. cue — a hint
  19. foot — a measure
  20. stock — shares
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bark — to shout
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. foot — part of the body

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