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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 · squash · present · pit · rule · track · pop · mouse

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. rule — government
  3. present — a gift
  4. track — a song
  5. pop — soda
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. present — there
  8. pop — to visit
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. squash — the sport
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rule — a law
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pop — music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pit — a hole
  22. present — the time now
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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