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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rest — a break
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. suit — clothes
  6. object — an aim
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rest — what's left
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. object — to protest
  11. perch — the fish
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. mug — to rob
  14. object — a thing
  15. field — for sport
  16. mug — a face
  17. field — farmland
  18. mug — a cup
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. suit — to fit
  21. field — a subject
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rest — what's left
  24. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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