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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
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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: stock · file · game · root · nail · stick · mug · patient

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a plant
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. root — of a word
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. game — a match
  13. stock — shares
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. file — a document
  17. game — wild animals
  18. stock — goods
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mug — a cup
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. file — a tool

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