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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: lash · racket · patient · cap · suit · saw · kid · mouse

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. suit — clothes
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — to tease
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cap — a hat
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. suit — to fit

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