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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: spring · pit · leaves · game · suit · patient · club · cabinet

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. club — a group
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pit — a hole
  5. game — a match
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. spring — the season
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. suit — clothes
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. spring — of water
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pit — in a race
  15. suit — in cards
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. game — wild animals
  21. club — for golf
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. suit — to fit

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