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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.

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: patient · band · content · hide · arm · game · can · stand

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. can — a tin
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. game — wild animals
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stand — to bear
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. content — happy
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. band — a music group
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. can — to be able to
  18. band — a ring
  19. content — the amount
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. game — a match
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. can — a tin
  24. arm — a part of something

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