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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. suit — clothes
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. suit — to fit
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. stock — goods
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rest — what's left
  14. track — a path
  15. rest — a break
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stock — shares
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. track — to keep track
  20. rest — what's left
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. track — a song

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