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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 120 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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Word bank
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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: bass · pit · rule · stand · track · patient · bore · rest

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bass — the fish
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. track — to keep track
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. track — a song
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. rest — a break
  14. track — a path
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rule — government
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bass — low music
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rule — a law
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stand — to bear

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