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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: ball · tube · stock · patient · fine · leaves · wake · ground

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stock — shares
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fine — all right
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fine — high quality
  16. stock — goods
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. ball — a great time
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — the underground
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

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