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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: ground · patient · date · mug · leaves · wound · bowl · rush

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. wound — an injury
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rush — hurry
  9. mug — a face
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wound — an injury
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. ground — a position
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. ground — the earth
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. date — the fruit

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