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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 116 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: drill · leaves · mug · patient · pass · pitcher · present · deal

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. present — the time now
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mug — a face
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pass — a permit
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mug — to rob
  9. deal — to handle
  10. drill — a practice
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. drill — army training
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. present — a gift
  16. drill — the tool
  17. present — there
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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