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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
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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 · patient · stem · cue · net · toast · lean · fine

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. cue — for pool
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. lean — to bend
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fine — all right
  7. lean — thin
  8. toast — bread
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cue — a hint
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. fine — high quality
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. stem — to come from
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — in sport
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. net — for catching
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. patient — a sick person

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