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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: can · patient · bear · prune · content · roll · stand · deal

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. roll — a cake
  3. can — to be able to
  4. prune — to trim
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. can — a tin
  9. prune — to trim
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. can — a tin
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. content — happy
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. content — the amount

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