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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: track · patient · saw · calf · ball · board · leaves · stem

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. board — a committee
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. saw — the tool
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. track — a path
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. board — to get on
  19. track — to keep track
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ball — a dance
  23. track — a song
  24. saw — the tool

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