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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mouse · bowl · wound · patient · rash · kid · season · pop

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pop — soda
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — of the year
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pop — music
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. kid — to tease
  15. season — in sport
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. wound — an injury
  18. kid — child
  19. wound — an injury
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bowl — to roll

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