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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: stand · patient · can · roll · lie · dip · clip · mouse

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. roll — a list
  5. clip — for paper
  6. stand — to bear
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — to sink
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. can — a tin
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. clip — a video
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. clip — to cut
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. can — to be able to
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. roll — a cake
  23. can — a tin
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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