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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: drill · patient · stock · can · bulb · rest · wind · bark

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stock — goods
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. can — a tin
  7. bulb — for light
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — army training
  10. rest — a break
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wind — moving air
  19. can — a tin
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stock — shares
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bulb — for light
  24. can — to be able to

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