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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: patient · staff · prune · chair · present · track · suit · bear

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. staff — employees
  4. present — there
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. present — a gift
  8. bear — the animal
  9. staff — a stick
  10. prune — to trim
  11. suit — to fit
  12. staff — employees
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bear — the animal
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. present — the time now
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. suit — clothes
  22. track — a song
  23. prune — to trim
  24. suit — in cards

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