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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: fine · date · pitcher · drill · mouse · patient · fork · swing

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. date — the fruit
  3. swing — music
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. swing — to play on
  6. drill — army training
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. drill — the tool
  9. fine — all right
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fine — high quality
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. drill — a practice
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. fork — a garden tool

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