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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 · suit · drill · calf · mine · bark · scale

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. drill — a practice
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. drill — army training
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. stand — to bear
  10. mine — for digging
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. drill — the tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. suit — clothes
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. suit — to fit
  24. calf — of the leg

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