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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: pass · root · row · patient · dip · mouse · bat · saw

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. saw — the tool
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. row — to paddle
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. root — of a word
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bat — the animal
  19. row — a line
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. dip — to sink

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