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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: rule · leaves · key · stick · stand · net · drill · patient

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rule — a law
  4. drill — a practice
  5. key — for a lock
  6. drill — army training
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. stand — to bear
  12. drill — the tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rule — government
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — for catching
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. key — the most important part
  20. net — after costs
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. key — in music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rule — to rule out

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