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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.

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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: pitcher · mouse · patient · snap · track · mate · bore · ball

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bore — to tire
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. track — to keep track
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. snap — to click
  19. track — a song
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. track — a path
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bore — to drill
  24. ball — a great time

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