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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
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: mate · arm · degree · bore · patient · chair · suit · ball

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. degree — an amount
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ball — a great time
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mate — a friend
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mate — a partner
  10. degree — temperature
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. suit — clothes
  13. degree — from a university
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. suit — in cards
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bore — to drill
  24. ball — a dance

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