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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: rush · mouse · clip · fan · bowl · plane · pop · patient

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pop — to visit
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. clip — for paper
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pop — music
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. clip — to cut
  17. clip — a video
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pop — soda
  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