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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.

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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: rock · jam · staff · chest · suit · patient · season · present

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. staff — employees
  3. suit — to fit
  4. present — the time now
  5. chest — of your body
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. staff — employees
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rock — music
  11. suit — in cards
  12. present — a gift
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. chest — of your body
  15. staff — a stick
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. season — in sport
  18. present — there
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. chest — a box
  21. suit — clothes
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. season — of the year
  24. rock — a stone

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