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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 116 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. deal — to handle
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. spell — magic
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. rush — hurry
  16. fine — all right
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. spell — a short time
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. spell — letters

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