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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: plane · stock · patient · bear · swing · present · rock · degree

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bear — the animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. degree — an amount
  6. rock — a stone
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. degree — temperature
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. swing — to play on
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. degree — from a university
  15. present — a gift
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rock — music
  18. present — there
  19. swing — music
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. stock — shares
  24. patient — a sick person

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