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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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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: plane · bark · arm · dip · pound · stock · bank · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. stock — goods
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bank — for money
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stock — shares
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bark — to shout
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bank — of a river
  24. plane — an aircraft

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