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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
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: stand · nail · saw · bass · bat · root · toast · patient

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bat — the animal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. root — of a word
  15. stand — to bear
  16. toast — bread
  17. root — the cause
  18. bass — low music
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. root — of a plant

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