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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.

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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: firm · game · lie · patient · board · leaves · fall · nail

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. fall — the season
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. game — wild animals
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. fall — to drop
  14. firm — a company
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fall — to drop
  17. game — a match
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. lie — to recline
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. firm — decided

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