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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: patient · drill · last · rock · mouse · saw · bear · chair

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bear — the animal
  3. drill — a practice
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. last — finally
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. last — to go on
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rock — music
  15. chair — a leader
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bear — the animal
  18. last — final
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. drill — army training

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