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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: patient · staff · stick · suit · ruler · snap

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. suit — in cards
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. staff — employees
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. staff — a stick
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. staff — employees

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