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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mouse · row · patient · chip · chest · wave · net · rush

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. row — a line
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. chip — to eat
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. chest — a box
  7. net — for catching
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. net — in sport
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. row — to paddle
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chest — of your body
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chest — of your body
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. net — after costs

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