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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: object · patient · spring · board · stick · season · suit · arm

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. suit — in cards
  4. season — of the year
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. spring — the season
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. board — a committee
  10. object — to protest
  11. suit — clothes
  12. object — an aim
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. season — in sport
  15. object — a thing
  16. spring — of water
  17. board — to get on
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. suit — to fit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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