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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: chip · patient · can · mouse · pitcher · mine · nail · bear

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. can — a tin
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — for digging
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bear — the animal
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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