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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: patient · suit · foot · leaves · chair · spring · wave · toast

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — a coil
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — a measure
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. spring — of water
  9. suit — to fit
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. chair — a leader
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. toast — bread
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. toast — the most admired

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