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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bay · patient · land · pass · band · firm · pitcher · straw

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. pass — a permit
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. firm — a company
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. firm — steady
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. band — a ring
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. land — ground
  22. firm — decided
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bay — a horse colour

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