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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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468
Word bank
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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mark — a trace
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mate — a partner
  8. present — a gift
  9. rest — what's left
  10. present — the time now
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. key — in music
  13. present — there
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mate — a friend
  17. rest — what's left
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mate — to breed
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rest — a break

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