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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.

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: swing · patient · kick · craft · leaves · suit

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. suit — to fit
  9. kick — in football
  10. swing — to play on
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. craft — a skill
  13. suit — clothes
  14. swing — music
  15. suit — in cards
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. swing — in golf
  18. craft — a handicraft

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