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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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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 · cell · cabinet · toast · leaves · fine · game · band

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. game — wild animals
  4. fine — high quality
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. cell — in biology
  7. band — a ring
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. game — a match
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. cell — a phone
  13. band — a music group
  14. toast — bread
  15. fine — all right
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. fine — a penalty

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