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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. row — to paddle
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. row — a line
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. firm — decided
  11. bass — the fish
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bear — the animal
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. ball — a dance
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bass — low music
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ball — a great time

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