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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mine — for digging
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. spell — a short time
  7. key — the most important part
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. staff — employees
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. staff — employees
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. spell — letters
  16. staff — a stick
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. spell — magic

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