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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: charge · vault · patient · land · fan · lash · present · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. present — a gift
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. present — the time now
  9. stock — shares
  10. charge — a price
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. land — to come down
  16. present — there
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. land — a country
  20. vault — a safe
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. charge — in control
  23. land — ground
  24. patient — a sick person

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