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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: bore · fork · bowl · fan · cue · toast · stock · patient

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. cue — for pool
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. stock — goods
  14. toast — bread
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. cue — a hint
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. stock — shares
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bore — to tire
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bore — to drill

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