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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: row · object · ball · leaves · rash · wave · chest · patient

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. row — a line
  3. rash — a series
  4. chest — of your body
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. object — a thing
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. rash — hasty
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ball — a great time
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. row — to paddle
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chest — of your body
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. object — an aim
  22. chest — a box
  23. object — to protest
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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