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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: snap · fine · saw · patient · file · squash · pass · bore

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fine — all right
  6. squash — to crush
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. snap — to click
  10. saw — the tool
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bore — to drill
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pass — a permit
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. file — a line of people
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to tire

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