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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: plane · rush · season · snap · rest · wound · mouse · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. season — in sport
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rest — a break
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rush — hurry
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. season — of the year
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. snap — to click
  24. season — to add flavour

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