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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.

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: plane · roll · stock · dip · tear · patient · mouse · pit

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stock — shares
  4. pit — a hole
  5. roll — a list
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. dip — to sink
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. tear — to rip
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. roll — a cake
  14. stock — goods
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pit — in a race
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. tear — from crying
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mouse — for a computer

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