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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 116 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: bay · last · stand · patient · degree · cabinet · hide · board

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. stand — to bear
  3. board — to get on
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. board — a committee
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. degree — from a university
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. last — finally
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. last — final
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. degree — temperature

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