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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: hand · rock · coach · patient · stock · stem · fan · stand

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stock — goods
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rock — music
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stem — to come from
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stock — shares
  17. stand — to bear
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — help
  20. rock — a stone
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. fan — a supporter

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