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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: stand · jam · patient · saw · root · track · rock · board

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. stand — to bear
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rock — a stone
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. track — a path
  9. track — a song
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. saw — the tool
  13. board — a committee
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rock — music
  17. root — of a word
  18. track — to keep track
  19. root — the cause
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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