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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · tube · fall · suit · capital · mug · rock · stand

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stand — to bear
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mug — to rob
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. capital — a city
  11. fall — the season
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — a face
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. capital — money
  19. tube — a container
  20. suit — in cards
  21. tube — the underground
  22. fall — to drop
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. suit — to fit

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