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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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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: stick · stand · object · patient · mine · last · bulb · foot

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bulb — for light
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mine — for digging
  5. last — final
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. last — finally
  14. object — a thing
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. last — to go on
  21. bulb — for light
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. foot — part of the body

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