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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: patient · bat · season · ruler · chair · suit · arm · bark

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. season — of the year
  10. bark — to shout
  11. season — in sport
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. chair — a leader
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bat — the animal
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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