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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: stand · current · wind · cue · tear · mate · patient · fine

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stand — to bear
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cue — for pool
  7. current — of water
  8. wind — moving air
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. current — electric
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. fine — all right
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. tear — from crying
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. tear — to rip
  18. current — happening now
  19. mate — to breed
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mate — a partner
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mate — a friend
  24. tear — from crying

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