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

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. squash — the sport
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pitch — completely
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. rush — hurry
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. branch — a division
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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