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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 116 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: object · court · bank · saw · patient · chair · fan · rest

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. object — an aim
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bank — of a river
  7. object — a thing
  8. rest — a break
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. object — to protest
  11. court — for sport
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. court — of law
  14. rest — what's left
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bank — for money
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. saw — the tool
  21. court — of a king
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bank — for money
  24. rest — what's left

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