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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — a friend
  3. suit — clothes
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. suit — in cards
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. ball — a great time
  14. club — a group
  15. ball — a dance
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. foot — a measure
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — for golf
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — in golf
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mate — to breed

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