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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wave · stand · wake · pound · patient · firm

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. firm — steady
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. firm — a company
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pound — a weight
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. firm — decided

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