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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
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: pitcher · date · stick · bay · patient · chair · leaves · season

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — the fruit
  13. season — in sport
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. season — of the year
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bay — a horse colour

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