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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: stand · nail · patient · board · chest · perch · band · pass

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. board — to get on
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. band — a music group
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stand — to bear
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. band — a ring
  17. perch — the fish
  18. chest — of your body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. board — a committee
  21. pass — a permit
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chest — a box
  24. nail — on a finger

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