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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 116 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: lean · bore · patient · chip · content · snap · cue · rush

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. lean — thin
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. content — the amount
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bore — to drill
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lean — to bend
  14. snap — to click
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. content — happy
  24. rush — 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