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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.

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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 · bass · stock · rock · staff · dip · safe · hand

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. hand — in cards
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hand — help
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bass — the fish
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. staff — a stick
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bass — low music
  20. staff — employees
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stock — shares
  24. safe — out of danger

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