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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: land · spell · pass · patient · track · leaves · club · stick

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. land — ground
  8. spell — letters
  9. club — for golf
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — a country
  12. pass — a permit
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. track — a path
  17. spell — a short time
  18. club — a group
  19. spell — magic
  20. club — for dancing
  21. track — a song
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. leaves — lets stay

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