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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.

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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: patient · mate · nail · mug · fine · straw · plane · bore

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mate — a partner
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mate — a friend
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bore — to tire
  9. mug — a face
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fine — high quality
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bore — to drill
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fine — all right
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mate — to breed

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