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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. land — ground
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mug — a cup
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. land — to come down
  12. board — to get on
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. board — a committee
  15. firm — a company
  16. land — a country
  17. stand — to bear
  18. mug — a face
  19. wax — to grow
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. mug — to rob
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. stand — for spectators

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