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

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rash — a series
  6. cue — for pool
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. staff — a stick
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cue — a signal
  11. rash — hasty
  12. wax — to grow
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. cue — a hint
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. dip — to sink
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. wax — for sculpting

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