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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. squash — to crush
  4. present — the time now
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. drill — army training
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. present — a gift
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. can — to be able to
  16. drill — the tool
  17. present — there
  18. can — a tin
  19. drill — a practice
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. squash — the sport
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fine — high quality
  24. can — a tin

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