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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 116 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: leaves · deal · stock · row · patient · squash · bore · firm

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — goods
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. stock — shares
  7. firm — a company
  8. bore — to drill
  9. firm — decided
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. firm — steady
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. row — a line
  14. row — to paddle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. squash — to crush
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bore — to tire
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. leaves — to go away

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