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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: rock · mouse · mine · trunk · kick · patient · fall · board

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. fall — to drop
  6. rock — a stone
  7. board — to get on
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rock — music
  15. kick — in football
  16. board — a committee
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fall — the season
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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