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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: club · straw · kick · hide · patient · mark · plane · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. club — a group
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. plane — a tool
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. kick — in football
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mark — a trace
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. suit — clothes
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — for golf
  20. mark — a grade
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. kick — a thrill

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