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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 120 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: bass · patient · mate · mouse · drill · root · press · file

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. root — the cause
  8. file — a document
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bass — low music
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. file — a line of people
  14. press — to push
  15. root — of a word
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bass — the fish
  18. root — of a plant
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. press — newspapers
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. file — a tool
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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