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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
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: content · shower · patient · stand · net · nail · mate · present

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. net — in sport
  3. stand — to bear
  4. present — the time now
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. shower — rain
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. net — for catching
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. net — after costs
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. present — a gift
  15. content — happy
  16. present — there
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. mate — a friend
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mate — a partner
  23. shower — to wash
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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