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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: suit · racket · jam · fork · snap · kid · squash · patient

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. suit — clothes
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. squash — to crush
  5. suit — to fit
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — child
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. suit — in cards
  19. squash — the sport
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. jam — in traffic

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