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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. present — a gift
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. land — to come down
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. present — there
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. stand — to bear
  14. cue — for pool
  15. present — the time now
  16. firm — decided
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. land — a country
  19. cue — a signal
  20. firm — steady
  21. land — ground
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. firm — a company
  24. stand — for spectators

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