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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 116 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: patient · stick · wave · board · mate · lie · suit · swing

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. suit — in cards
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. suit — to fit
  6. swing — to play on
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lie — to recline
  11. swing — music
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. swing — in golf
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. board — a committee
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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