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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: coach · patient · safe · fine · land · shower · stock · roll

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. stock — shares
  3. land — to come down
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. roll — a list
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. land — ground
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stock — goods
  11. land — a country
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. shower — rain
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. shower — to wash
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fine — all right
  21. roll — a cake
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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