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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · charge · stock · mine · wave · plane · stand · fork

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stock — shares
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. charge — in control
  18. mine — for digging
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. plane — a tool
  21. charge — a price
  22. fork — in a road
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fork — to eat with

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