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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. date — the fruit
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. board — to get on
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. tube — a container
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. hand — help
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. tube — the underground
  24. hand — in cards

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