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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: pitcher · patient · mouse · temple · straw · wax · chip · safe

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mouse — the animal

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