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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 120 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: stem · stock · safe · mine · hand · charge · patient · ruler

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mine — for digging
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. charge — a price
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. charge — in control
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. stock — goods
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stock — shares
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. hand — in cards
  16. charge — electricity
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. hand — help
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mine — an explosive

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