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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.

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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: bay · leaves · patient · wake · season · club · pound · file

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. season — in sport
  3. file — a line of people
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. club — for golf
  7. file — a document
  8. club — a group
  9. wake — a trail
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. season — of the year
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. file — a tool
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pound — a weight
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wake — before a funeral

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