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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: snap · spell · plane · saw · race · stock · chip · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. saw — the tool
  3. race — a contest
  4. snap — to click
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stock — shares
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. race — humankind
  11. saw — the tool
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. spell — letters
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stock — goods
  16. spell — magic
  17. race — the arms race
  18. plane — a tool
  19. spell — a short time
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. chip — for betting
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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