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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: key · fine · cell · stock · patient · bear · saw · bore

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stock — shares
  6. saw — the tool
  7. key — the most important part
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cell — in biology
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cell — a phone
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. bore — to drill
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. stock — goods
  24. patient — a sick person

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