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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: temple · race · bore · object · mug · stock · pitcher · patient

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stock — shares
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mug — a face
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. race — the arms race
  8. object — an aim
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. race — a contest
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bore — to drill
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mug — to rob
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stock — goods
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. object — to protest
  24. race — humankind

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