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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: degree · mark · wind · suit · patient · can · deal · stock

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. can — a tin
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. suit — in cards
  6. degree — an amount
  7. suit — to fit
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wind — moving air
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. degree — temperature
  12. wind — moving air
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. suit — clothes
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. degree — from a university
  21. stock — goods
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stock — shares
  24. can — a tin

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