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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: patient · net · club · ruler · bay · stock · press · hand

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. press — newspapers
  5. club — for dancing
  6. press — a publisher
  7. net — after costs
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. hand — help
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. net — in sport
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stock — goods
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. press — to push
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. net — for catching
  22. club — for golf
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stock — shares

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