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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.

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: court · season · stand · scale · pass · patient · charge · arm

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. court — of a king
  5. charge — a price
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. charge — in control
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. scale — size or range
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. charge — electricity
  14. scale — in music
  15. court — for sport
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pass — a permit
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. season — of the year
  22. court — of law
  23. stand — to bear
  24. season — in sport

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