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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: dip · patient · perch · ruler · key · land · stock · bear

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. land — ground
  2. land — to come down
  3. stock — shares
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. key — in music
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stock — goods
  9. key — the most important part
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. dip — to sink
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. land — a country
  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