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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. land — to come down
  5. hand — help
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. root — the cause
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. land — a country
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. present — there
  15. land — ground
  16. root — of a plant
  17. present — a gift
  18. hand — in cards
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. present — the time now
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — to bear
  23. root — of a word
  24. hand — part of the body

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