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

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fall — to drop
  3. present — there
  4. fall — to drop
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. stand — to bear
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. present — the time now
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. present — a gift
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — rain
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. chair — a leader
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fall — the season

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