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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: stand · patient · drill · can · bat · mark · chip · bound

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bound — obliged
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stand — to bear
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. drill — a practice
  12. can — a tin
  13. drill — army training
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bound — tied together
  17. can — a tin
  18. bound — certain
  19. can — to be able to
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bat — the animal

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