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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pop — music
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — soda
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. snap — to click
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. suit — clothes
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wave — with your hand

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