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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. chest — a box
  4. rest — what's left
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. land — to come down
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. land — a country
  11. land — ground
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rock — music
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rock — a stone
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chest — of your body
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rest — a break
  24. chest — of your 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