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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: fan · charge · foot · bank · pitcher · bat · stock · patient

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bank — for money
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bat — the animal
  6. stock — shares
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bank — of a river
  15. charge — a price
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stock — goods
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bank — for money

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