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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. content — the amount
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. content — happy
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. snap — to click
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. patient — a sick person

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