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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
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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: saw · patient · spring · firm · fan · stock · bowl · bound

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. firm — decided
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stock — goods
  6. spring — the season
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bound — certain
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. firm — a company
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bound — tied together
  15. firm — steady
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bound — obliged
  19. spring — a coil
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. spring — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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