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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.

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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: stick · perch · patient · bay · stock · clip · bass · root

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stock — shares
  3. clip — to cut
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. root — of a word
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. root — of a plant
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bass — low music
  20. root — the cause
  21. clip — for paper
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. clip — a video
  24. bass — the fish

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