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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mate · leaves · jam · saw · ball · capital · kick · patient

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. ball — a dance
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. capital — a city
  6. mate — a friend
  7. saw — the tool
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mate — to breed
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. mate — a partner
  19. saw — the tool
  20. capital — money
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. ball — a great time
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. capital — a big letter

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