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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: club · bear · racket · wake · root · suit · kick · patient

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. wake — a trail
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. root — of a word
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. club — a group
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bear — the animal
  17. kick — in football
  18. suit — clothes
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. club — for dancing
  21. suit — to fit
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — the cause
  24. bear — the animal

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