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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. stand — to bear
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. ground — the earth
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. hand — in cards
  20. ground — crushed
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hand — help
  24. ground — a position

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