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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. board — to get on
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stem — to come from
  13. content — the amount
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. saw — the tool
  16. content — happy
  17. board — a committee
  18. saw — the tool
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pit — a hole
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. pit — in a race
  23. stand — to bear
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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