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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: mark · pit · rush · mug · saw · stick · spell · patient

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. spell — magic
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rush — hurry
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. spell — letters
  13. pit — a hole
  14. spell — a short time
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mug — a face
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mark — a trace

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