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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: lean · band · patient · stand · cabinet · pass · board · swing

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. board — a committee
  5. stand — to bear
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. swing — in golf
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. swing — to play on
  14. board — to get on
  15. lean — thin
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. swing — music
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. band — a music group
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. band — a ring

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