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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 120 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: stock · suit · pass · patient · chip · rock · bat · present

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. stock — goods
  3. rock — music
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stock — shares
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rock — a stone
  16. present — there
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. suit — clothes
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bat — the animal
  23. chip — to eat
  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