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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: bat · suit · mouse · jam · court · patient · lash · pound

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. suit — to fit
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. court — of law
  15. suit — in cards
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. court — for sport
  18. bat — the animal
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. court — of a king

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