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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: cap · patient · present · straw · file · wake · leaves · stock

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. present — a gift
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stock — shares
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cap — a lid
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. file — a document
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. cap — a hat
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. present — the time now
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. present — there
  24. straw — dry grass

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