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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. saw — the tool
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. foot — a measure
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. suit — clothes
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. patient — a sick person

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