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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. content — the amount
  5. stand — to bear
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. suit — clothes
  9. saw — the tool
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. content — happy
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. saw — the tool
  17. track — a song
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. suit — to fit
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. patient — a sick person

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