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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.

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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: fork · cabinet · patient · stand · straw · cue · track · pound

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. track — a song
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. track — a path
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pound — a weight
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. track — to keep track

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