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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · hide · arm · bat · suit · bear · jam · patient

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bat — the animal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. suit — to fit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bear — the animal
  24. suit — in cards

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