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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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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: patient · pound · track · pass · bear · firm · chest · fall

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. firm — decided
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chest — of your body
  6. track — to keep track
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. track — a path
  9. fall — the season
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. firm — a company
  13. fall — to drop
  14. firm — steady
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. track — a song
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. chest — a box

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