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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.

Make a worksheet

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: patient · bear · mark · racket · stand · wake · hand · saw

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mark — a trace
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bear — the animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bear — the animal
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. hand — in cards
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. stand — to bear
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. hand — help

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