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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.

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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: craft · patient · nail · firm · rest · stand · wake · object

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. craft — boats
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rest — what's left
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. object — to protest
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. craft — a skill
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. firm — steady
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. object — a thing
  16. firm — a company
  17. wake — a trail
  18. firm — decided
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. object — an aim
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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