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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
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: staff · patient · plane · rest · saw · chip · pitcher · mouse

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. saw — the tool
  10. staff — a stick
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rest — what's left
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. staff — employees
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. plane — a tool
  23. staff — employees
  24. saw — the tool

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