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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.

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: firm · prune · patient · bore · stand · bark · land · pass

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. land — a country
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bore — to tire
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. prune — to trim
  11. firm — decided
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bark — to shout
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pass — a permit
  17. land — to come down
  18. firm — a company
  19. land — ground
  20. firm — steady
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. prune — the fruit

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