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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. deal — to handle
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hand — in cards
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. hand — help
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pass — a permit
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fan — a supporter

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