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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: board · fan · cue · scale · stock · pitcher · patient · swing

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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. stock — a soup base
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stock — goods
  4. scale — size or range
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cue — a signal
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. swing — in golf
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. scale — in music
  14. board — to get on
  15. swing — music
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cue — for pool
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. stock — shares
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. board — a committee
  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