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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 120 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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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: patient · bay · trunk · fork · stand · cabinet · suit · march

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. suit — in cards
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stand — to bear
  12. march — music
  13. fork — in a road
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. march — the month
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. suit — to fit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. march — the month
  24. fork — to eat with

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