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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 · rash · bat · bay · cabinet · season · court · toast

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. court — of a king
  4. season — in sport
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. court — of law
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rash — a series
  19. season — of the year
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. court — for sport
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rash — hasty

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