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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: march · patient · key · prune · board · cabinet · stand · racket

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. march — the month
  3. key — for a lock
  4. march — music
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. board — to get on
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stand — to bear
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. prune — to trim
  20. key — the most important part
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. march — the month
  24. key — in music

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