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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 116 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: mark · stock · cue · bank · patient · shower · lean · current

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  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. patient — calm and waiting
  2. shower — to wash
  3. lean — to bend
  4. stock — shares
  5. current — happening now
  6. shower — rain
  7. current — electric
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. current — of water
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bank — for money
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bank — of a river
  18. lean — thin
  19. bank — for money
  20. cue — for pool
  21. stock — goods
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mark — a grade
  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