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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: patient · ball · suit · game · stick · toast · chair · bulb

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ball — a dance
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. toast — bread
  7. ball — a great time
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — a match
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bulb — for light
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. suit — clothes

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