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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: suit · kid · sharp · leaves · patient · charge · last · squash

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. suit — in cards
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. kid — to tease
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. suit — clothes
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. squash — the sport
  11. sharp — clever
  12. kid — child
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. last — finally
  18. suit — to fit
  19. charge — electricity
  20. last — final
  21. squash — to crush
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. patient — a sick person

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