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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: staff · stock · rash · chip · hand · pass · patient · spell

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. staff — a stick
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rash — a series
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. spell — magic
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. staff — employees
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stock — goods
  17. hand — in cards
  18. spell — letters
  19. staff — employees
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — help
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stock — shares

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