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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: spell · chip · perch · leaves · patient · game · mark · fine

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. perch — the fish
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. spell — magic
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. game — wild animals
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. fine — all right
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fine — high quality
  15. chip — for betting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mark — a grade
  18. game — a match
  19. mark — a trace
  20. chip — to eat
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — letters
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fine — a penalty

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