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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: fork · leaves · wake · rash · patient · fine · last · capital

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. fork — in a road
  4. capital — money
  5. fine — high quality
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rash — a series
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. last — finally
  10. last — final
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. rash — hasty
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. last — to go on
  20. wake — a trail
  21. fine — all right
  22. capital — a city
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. patient — a sick person

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