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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. wax — to grow
  3. firm — decided
  4. bear — the animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. firm — steady
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. firm — a company
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hand — help
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. hand — in cards
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lie — to recline
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. hide — to keep secret

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