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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: rush · mouse · bay · ground · patient · bulb · rest · wake

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ground — the earth
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bulb — for light
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

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