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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: mate · can · lie · saw · scale · stand · patient · rule

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. scale — in music
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. can — to be able to
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rule — government
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. scale — size or range
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rule — a law
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stand — to bear
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mate — to breed
  19. lie — to recline
  20. saw — the tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. saw — the tool
  24. scale — for weighing

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