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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: hand · nail · wind · patient · current · stand · mate · coach

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. current — electric
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wind — moving air
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mate — a partner
  15. current — happening now
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wind — moving air
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mate — a friend
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — help
  23. mate — to breed
  24. current — of water

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