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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. toast — bread
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. cue — a hint
  12. suit — in cards
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bat — the animal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. suit — to fit
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. cue — for pool

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