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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: track · rush · wave · patient · lie · deal · mouse · bore

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. track — a path
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. track — to keep track
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. track — a song
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rush — hurry
  24. deal — to handle

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