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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.

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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: ground · press · patient · club · fan · pass · deal · stock

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. press — a publisher
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ground — the earth
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. press — to push
  11. club — for golf
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. ground — crushed
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. club — for dancing
  16. stock — goods
  17. deal — to handle
  18. stock — shares
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ground — a position
  24. club — a group

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