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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. last — to go on
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stem — to come from
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. last — finally
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. last — final
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stem — a stem cell

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