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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
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: pit · stand · bear · mouse · spring · scale · patient · nail

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. spring — of water
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. spring — a coil
  5. scale — size or range
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stand — to bear
  13. scale — in music
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pit — in a race
  19. spring — the season
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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