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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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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: patient · fork · bowl · suit · craft · fall

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fall — the season
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. suit — in cards
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fork — in a road
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fall — to drop
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. suit — clothes

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