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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. shower — to wash
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. shower — rain
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. present — there
  23. wake — a trail
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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