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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: wake · stock · chair · hand · bank · bay · coach · patient

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. stock — shares
  3. bank — for money
  4. chair — a leader
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. wake — a trail
  10. stock — goods
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bank — of a river
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. hand — help
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bank — for money

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