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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.

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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 · stand · band · bass · pound · hand · ruler · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pound — a weight
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. band — a ring
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. hand — in cards
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stand — to bear
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. band — a music group
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. hand — help
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stand — on your feet

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