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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: stock · snap · perch · bear · patient · leaves · nail · ground

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ground — a position
  4. stock — shares
  5. bear — the animal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. snap — to click
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. perch — the fish
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ground — crushed
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. ground — the earth
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. leaves — to go away

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