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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: craft · leaves · row · patient · stock · bore · firm · mug

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. row — a line
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. craft — boats
  8. firm — steady
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bore — to drill
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. firm — a company
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mug — to rob
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mug — a face
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stock — goods
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. stock — shares
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mug — a cup
  24. craft — a handicraft

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