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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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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mate — a partner
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. deal — to handle
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. press — a publisher
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mate — to breed
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. snap — to click
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mate — a friend
  20. press — to push
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. press — newspapers
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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