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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. roll — a list
  3. stand — to bear
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. roll — a cake
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. lean — thin
  12. cell — in biology
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rule — a law
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. lean — to bend
  19. cell — a phone
  20. rule — government
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rule — to rule out

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