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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 · patient · bass · tube · stock · leaves · craft · wave

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stock — goods
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stock — shares
  10. key — the most important part
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. key — for a lock
  16. tube — a container
  17. craft — boats
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bass — the fish
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. leaves — of a tree

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