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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 120 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: cell · season · staff · club · spring · chip · patient · leaves

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cell — in biology
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. club — for dancing
  10. cell — a phone
  11. spring — the season
  12. season — in sport
  13. staff — a stick
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. chip — for betting
  18. spring — a coil
  19. staff — employees
  20. chip — to eat
  21. season — of the year
  22. staff — employees
  23. spring — of water
  24. leaves — of a tree

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