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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: spring · stand · tear · can · patient · saw · rule · racket

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. tear — from crying
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. tear — from crying
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. tear — to rip
  10. spring — of water
  11. saw — the tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. can — a tin
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rule — government
  16. saw — the tool
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. spring — a coil
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. spring — the season
  23. can — a tin
  24. stand — for spectators

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