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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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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: dip · chip · roll · pitcher · snap · patient · band · rush

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. chip — for betting
  5. band — a ring
  6. snap — to click
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. roll — a list
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rush — hurry
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. band — a music group
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rush — to hurry

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