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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: nail · game · mate · stand · bowl · rest · lie · patient

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. game — a match
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stand — to bear
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mate — a partner
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. game — wild animals
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rest — a break
  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