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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: foot · rule · stick · pitcher · stand · leaves · key · patient

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. key — in music
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. key — the most important part

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