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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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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: mate · racket · pit · spring · wave · patient · bay · ball

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mate — a partner
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pit — in a race
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. spring — the season
  15. mate — to breed
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ball — a dance
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. spring — of water

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