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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: pit · rest · scale · fan · date · patient · suit · mine

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. pit — a hole
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — for digging
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pit — in a race
  14. date — the fruit
  15. scale — in music
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. scale — size or range
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. suit — in cards
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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