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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: wax · fan · bark · stick · stand · fall · patient · track

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fall — to drop
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — to shout
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. stand — to bear
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. track — a song

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