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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.

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: cue · leaves · stem · mark · chair · pitch · fan · patient

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mark — a grade
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cue — a signal
  14. chair — a leader
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. pitch — completely
  19. cue — for pool
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fan — a supporter

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