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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 124 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pop — music
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. swing — to play on
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. pop — soda
  11. pit — in a race
  12. swing — music
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stem — to come from
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. swing — in golf
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pop — to visit
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stem — a stem cell
  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