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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: game · hide · bore · wake · patient · mate · root · racket

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. game — wild animals
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. root — of a word
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. game — a match
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bore — to drill
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bore — to tire
  19. root — of a plant
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. root — the cause
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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