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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: swing · bear · file · root · patient · stand · rule · fall

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rule — a law
  5. fall — the season
  6. bear — the animal
  7. swing — in golf
  8. file — a tool
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. root — of a word
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. swing — to play on
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rule — government
  15. fall — to drop
  16. swing — music
  17. stand — to bear
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. file — a line of people
  21. fall — to drop
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bear — the animal
  24. root — the cause

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