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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: bass · rule · fall · stock · spring · suit · patient · key

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. rule — a law
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stock — shares
  6. spring — of water
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. spring — the season
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — the fish
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fall — to drop
  16. key — the most important part
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fall — to drop
  19. stock — goods
  20. bass — low music
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — government
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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