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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 116 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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mark — a trace
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. firm — steady
  5. pop — music
  6. stand — to bear
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. net — after costs
  11. pop — soda
  12. land — to come down
  13. net — for catching
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. net — in sport
  16. mark — a grade
  17. land — ground
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. land — a country
  21. pop — to visit
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. patient — a sick person

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