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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: fan · staff · pitcher · racket · patient · fork · bay · swing

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. swing — music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. staff — employees
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. swing — to play on
  17. staff — employees
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. swing — in golf
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. racket — for tennis

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