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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. ball — a dance
  5. spring — the season
  6. spell — a short time
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ball — a great time
  14. spell — letters
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spring — a coil
  21. stand — to bear
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. spell — magic
  24. spring — of water

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