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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: lie · land · bear · cabinet · fan · patient · present · court

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. land — a country
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. land — ground
  6. bear — the animal
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. present — a gift
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. court — of a king
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. court — of law
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. present — the time now
  22. court — for sport
  23. land — to come down
  24. present — there

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