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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: patient · bulb · hand · stock · mug · stand · race · bound

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bound — certain
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mug — a cup
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bound — obliged
  16. race — a contest
  17. bound — tied together
  18. stock — goods
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hand — in cards
  22. stock — shares
  23. mug — a face
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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