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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: deal · last · rule · fork · suit · patient · kid · racket

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. suit — to fit
  4. last — to go on
  5. fork — in a road
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — government
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. suit — clothes
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. last — finally
  19. kid — child
  20. suit — in cards
  21. kid — to tease
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. last — final
  24. fork — to eat with

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