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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: bay · patient · snap · ball · suit · pit · net · capital

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pit — in a race
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. capital — money
  11. pit — a hole
  12. net — in sport
  13. capital — a city
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. suit — to fit
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. net — after costs
  20. ball — a dance
  21. net — for catching
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. snap — to click

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