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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.

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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: tube · mark · suit · patient · press · saw · jam · stock

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stock — goods
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mark — a trace
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. press — newspapers
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. suit — clothes
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. press — a publisher
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mark — a grade
  17. press — to push
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. suit — to fit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stock — shares
  24. tube — a container

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