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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: sharp · ground · patient · temple · mug · rock · stock · squash

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. mug — a cup
  5. ground — a position
  6. squash — the sport
  7. ground — the earth
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rock — a stone
  13. squash — to crush
  14. mug — to rob
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stock — goods
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. ground — crushed
  19. stock — shares
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mug — a face
  24. temple — side of the head

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