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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
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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: mark · patient · jam · hand · cabinet · degree · stand · stick

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hand — help
  5. stand — to bear
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. degree — temperature
  23. stand — for spectators
  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