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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 · rest · bear · stock · stem · lean · charge · nail

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. charge — in control
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. lean — to bend
  9. charge — a price
  10. rest — a break
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stock — shares
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rest — what's left
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stem — to come from
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stock — goods
  23. lean — thin
  24. stock — a soup base

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