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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: dip · last · fine · stock · kick · fall · rule · patient

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. fall — to drop
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. fall — the season
  7. dip — to sink
  8. last — final
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. last — finally
  12. fall — to drop
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rule — government
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. last — to go on
  17. kick — in football
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rule — a law
  20. fine — high quality
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — goods
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. dip — to dunk

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