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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.

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: pitcher · root · mouse · clip · patient · pound · spell · pass

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. spell — letters
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. root — of a word
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. clip — to cut
  14. pound — a weight
  15. clip — for paper
  16. spell — magic
  17. root — the cause
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pass — a permit

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