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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 116 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: patient · can · nail · hand · pound · stand · lie · deal

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. can — a tin
  3. lie — to recline
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pound — a weight
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. deal — to handle
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — in cards

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