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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: stand · hand · dip · patient · mug · swing · capital · arm

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hand — in cards
  4. stand — to bear
  5. capital — money
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mug — to rob
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. swing — in golf
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. mug — a face
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. swing — music
  19. hand — help
  20. mug — a cup
  21. dip — to sink
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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