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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 124 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.

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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: rush · season · patient · pop · rock · mug · chip · arm

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. season — in sport
  4. pop — music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mug — a face
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rock — a stone
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rock — music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pop — soda
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. season — of the year
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rush — hurry
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. pop — to visit

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