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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.

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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. cap — of ice
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. content — happy
  8. present — the time now
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. firm — decided
  16. present — a gift
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. hide — animal skin

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