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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: mug · object · stock · staff · jam · patient · chair · wax

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. staff — employees
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. staff — employees
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. object — a thing
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stock — goods
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. stock — shares
  11. object — to protest
  12. mug — a face
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. mug — to rob
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. chair — a leader
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. wax — to grow
  19. staff — a stick
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. chair — a professorship

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