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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.

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: patient · fan · squash · kick · wound · present · tube · suit

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. kick — in football
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wound — an injury
  6. squash — to crush
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. present — there
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. tube — a container
  13. squash — the sport
  14. suit — to fit
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. wound — an injury
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. tube — the underground
  24. present — the time now

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