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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. present — there
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. hand — help
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. firm — steady
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. hand — in cards
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cell — a phone
  18. firm — decided
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. firm — a company
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cell — in biology
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. stand — to bear

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