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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. firm — decided
  6. stand — to bear
  7. band — a ring
  8. cue — a hint
  9. plane — a tool
  10. hand — help
  11. rash — hasty
  12. firm — a company
  13. rash — a series
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. band — a music group
  16. firm — steady
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. hand — in cards
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. cue — a signal

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