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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · squash · fan · race · racket · stick · season · patient

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. squash — to crush
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. can — a tin
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — a contest
  12. squash — the sport
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. can — to be able to
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. can — a tin
  24. season — to add flavour

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