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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stand — to bear
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bank — for money
  5. mark — a trace
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. mark — a grade
  8. craft — boats
  9. cap — a hat
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cap — a lid
  13. craft — a skill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. file — a line of people
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a document
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bank — for money
  23. cap — of ice
  24. craft — a handicraft

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