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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: suit · fork · stand · mouse · spell · patient

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fork — in a road
  10. spell — magic
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. suit — in cards
  13. spell — a short time
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. spell — letters

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