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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. tube — a container
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pound — a weight
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mark — a grade
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. track — to keep track
  17. tube — the underground
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mark — a trace
  21. track — a path
  22. saw — the tool
  23. track — a song
  24. fan — to cool the air

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