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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 120 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: bowl · firm · fork · cell · chair · patient

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. chair — a leader
  13. firm — steady
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cell — a phone
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. chair — a professorship

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