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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: coach · stand · stock · temple · patient · stick · field · roll

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. stock — shares
  5. roll — a list
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. roll — a cake
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. field — a subject
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. field — farmland

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