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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: fork · ruler · season · racket · patient · bay · swing · date

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. season — of the year
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fork — in a road
  11. season — in sport
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. date — the fruit
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. swing — in golf
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bay — a horse colour

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