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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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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: bark · present · mug · can · ball · patient · suit · rash

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. rash — a series
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. present — the time now
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — a face
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. can — to be able to
  16. present — a gift
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bark — to shout
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. can — a tin
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. can — a tin

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