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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.

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: patient · rest · track · stock · mouse · arm · cap · lean

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. track — a path
  5. lean — thin
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. track — a song
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. track — to keep track
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. lean — to bend
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cap — a hat
  18. stock — goods
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cap — of ice
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  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