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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: wind · stick · patient · swing · rock · suit

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. swing — in golf
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. suit — clothes
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — music
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rock — music

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