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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: mate · track · stand · patient · mark · arm · wave · rush

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stand — to bear
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. track — a path
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. track — a song
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. track — to keep track

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