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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: patient · leaves · saw · last · calf · bass · chair · stand

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. last — finally
  3. stand — to bear
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — the fish
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. last — to go on
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a leader
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bass — low music
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. last — final
  24. leaves — to go away

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