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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.

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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: staff · row · file · trunk · patient · object · bore · season

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. object — a thing
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — in sport
  6. file — a document
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. object — an aim
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. row — a line
  12. staff — employees
  13. file — a line of people
  14. object — to protest
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. file — a tool
  18. bore — to drill
  19. staff — employees
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bore — to tire
  23. staff — a stick
  24. row — to paddle

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