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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. chest — of your body
  4. stand — to bear
  5. suit — to fit
  6. swing — music
  7. roll — a list
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. race — the arms race
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. swing — in golf
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. swing — to play on
  17. stem — to come from
  18. race — a contest
  19. suit — clothes
  20. race — humankind
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. chest — a box
  23. chest — of your body
  24. suit — 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