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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bay · net · lie · stand · wake · patient · pop · cap

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. cap — a hat
  6. pop — to visit
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. net — after costs
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. net — for catching
  13. wake — a trail
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pop — music
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. net — in sport
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pop — soda
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. wake — before a funeral

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