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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. band — a music group
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. race — the arms race
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. firm — a company
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. firm — steady
  15. race — a contest
  16. firm — decided
  17. hand — in cards
  18. race — humankind
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. hand — help
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. band — a ring

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