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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.

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: cap · patient · mine · ball · bore · bay · object · stand

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. ball — a dance
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bore — to tire
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mine — for digging
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. cap — of ice
  14. stand — to bear
  15. ball — a great time
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cap — a hat
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bore — to drill

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