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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: patient · rule · firm · stock · mouse · lean · board · cabinet

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stock — goods
  7. firm — decided
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. firm — steady
  20. rule — government
  21. firm — a company
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rule — a law

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