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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: racket · mouse · object · net · bore · spell · patient · hide

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. spell — letters
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. object — an aim
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. spell — magic
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — in sport
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. object — a thing
  17. net — after costs
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. object — to protest
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mouse — the animal

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