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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — music
  14. game — a match
  15. bear — the animal
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. game — wild animals
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. deal — to handle
  24. arm — part of the body

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