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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: spring · pit · rule · fine · bay · patient · leaves · mark

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rule — a law
  3. pit — a hole
  4. rule — government
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. mark — a grade
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pit — in a race
  11. fine — all right
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — the season
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. mark — a trace
  18. spring — of water
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. pit — a fruit 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