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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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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: kick · patient · board · snap · suit · pit · pop · firm

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pop — music
  3. pit — a hole
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. kick — in football
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pit — in a race
  9. board — to get on
  10. snap — to click
  11. board — a committee
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. firm — decided
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pop — soda
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. firm — a company
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. suit — to fit
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. suit — clothes
  24. firm — steady

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