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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: rule · stick · fan · cabinet · fine · patient · branch · stock

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. branch — a division
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stock — goods
  7. rule — government
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. stock — shares
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rule — a law
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fine — all right
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. fan — to cool the air

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