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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · pitcher · pop · shower · swing · plane · patient · bay

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. shower — to wash
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pop — soda
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pop — music
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. swing — in golf
  11. plane — a tool
  12. shower — rain
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mate — to breed
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mate — a friend
  21. swing — music
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. swing — to play on

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