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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: deal · stand · key · patient · pop · chest · row · jam

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pop — soda
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. row — a line
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. pop — music
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. key — the most important part
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. key — in music
  18. row — to paddle
  19. key — for a lock
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — to handle
  22. chest — a box
  23. pop — to visit
  24. patient — a sick person

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