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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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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: last · land · stand · board · patient · track · dip · bear

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. last — final
  3. last — to go on
  4. bear — the animal
  5. board — to get on
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. land — to come down
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. board — a committee
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. land — ground
  15. bear — the animal
  16. dip — to sink
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. last — finally
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. land — a country
  24. stand — to bear

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