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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wake — a trail
  3. stand — to bear
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mate — a friend
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mate — a partner
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mate — to breed
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. suit — to fit
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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