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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 120 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: racket · game · firm · stand · patient · board · hand · stick

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. hand — in cards
  5. stand — to bear
  6. board — to get on
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. hand — help
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. game — a match
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. firm — a company
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. game — wild animals
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. firm — steady
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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