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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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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 · wake · track · staff · bear · deal · pound · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bear — the animal
  3. staff — employees
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wake — a trail
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. track — to keep track
  13. deal — to handle
  14. staff — a stick
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. track — a song
  18. pound — a weight
  19. staff — employees
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. track — a path
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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