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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: present · pound · can · pit · patient · staff · stock · game

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. present — there
  3. pound — a weight
  4. game — wild animals
  5. pit — a hole
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. can — a tin
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. can — a tin
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — goods
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. game — a match

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