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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: court · mug · pass · club · patient · foot · can · chest

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. chest — of your body
  3. can — to be able to
  4. foot — a measure
  5. court — of law
  6. court — for sport
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mug — to rob
  9. can — a tin
  10. club — for golf
  11. mug — a face
  12. club — for dancing
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. club — a group
  15. chest — a box
  16. can — a tin
  17. mug — a cup
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. court — of a king
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. chest — of your body

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