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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: rock · patient · drill · mate · bay · mouse · court · key

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. key — in music
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. key — the most important part
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. court — for sport
  16. mate — a friend
  17. key — for a lock
  18. court — of law
  19. rock — a stone
  20. drill — army training
  21. rock — music
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. court — of a king

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