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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 116 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: cue · lean · bank · bass · row · fan · stock · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. row — to paddle
  3. stock — goods
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — a signal
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bass — low music
  8. stock — shares
  9. row — a line
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bass — the fish
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bank — of a river
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. cue — a hint
  21. lean — thin
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. cue — for pool

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