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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bass — the fish
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. suit — to fit
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. land — a country
  11. suit — in cards
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bass — low music
  14. land — ground
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. land — to come down
  19. rash — hasty
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rash — a series
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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