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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · fine · march · patient · content · court · board · lie

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. board — a committee
  4. content — happy
  5. stand — to bear
  6. march — the month
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. content — the amount
  9. court — for sport
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. court — of law
  12. lie — to recline
  13. march — the month
  14. fine — high quality
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. court — of a king
  17. fine — all right
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. march — music
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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