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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.

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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: net · mouse · patient · fine · stand · toast · snap · chip

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  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. net — for catching
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. fine — high quality
  7. net — after costs
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. fine — all right
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chip — for betting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stand — to bear
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. net — in sport
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. chip — to eat
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. toast — bread
  23. snap — to click
  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