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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: leaves · patient · fork · staff · rest · chair · ball · pitch

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rest — what's left
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — a leader
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rest — what's left
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fork — in a road
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ball — a great time
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pitch — completely
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. staff — a stick
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rest — a break
  24. leaves — of a tree

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