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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: cue · scale · stand · lie · wax · patient · jam · deal

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. scale — size or range
  8. cue — for pool
  9. scale — in music
  10. deal — to handle
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — to grow
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. cue — a hint
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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