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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.

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: patient · leaves · stock · row · stick · pitch · mark · craft

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. stock — goods
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. row — a line
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pitch — completely
  15. craft — boats
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stock — shares
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. row — to paddle
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. leaves — lets stay

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