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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: content · pound · dip · last · lean · patient · club · stand

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. last — to go on
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. last — final
  5. lean — thin
  6. last — finally
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. club — for dancing
  13. stand — to bear
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. content — happy
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. club — for golf
  19. lean — to bend
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. club — a group
  22. pound — a weight
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. dip — a sauce

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