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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
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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: firm · wind · cabinet · net · patient · leaves · lean · court

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wind — moving air
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of a king
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wind — moving air
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. court — of law
  12. firm — a company
  13. lean — thin
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. firm — steady
  16. net — for catching
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. firm — decided
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. net — in sport
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. net — after costs
  24. leaves — lets stay

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