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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 · face · safe · last · cap · patient · fall · bark

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cap — a lid
  4. face — to confront
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. fall — the season
  7. last — to go on
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. last — finally
  11. face — part of the head
  12. cap — of ice
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. face — to point toward
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. last — final
  17. stand — to bear
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bark — to shout
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cap — a hat
  24. fall — to drop

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