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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
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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: wound · pass · track · roll · mouse · spell · hide · patient

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — magic
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. spell — a short time
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. track — a song
  13. wound — an injury
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. roll — a list

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