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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 120 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: bore · plane · pit · rush · charge · net · mug · patient

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mug — a cup
  4. net — in sport
  5. charge — electricity
  6. net — after costs
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pit — in a race
  10. charge — a price
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mug — a face
  19. pit — a hole
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. charge — in control
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. plane — a tool

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