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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. band — a music group
  4. suit — clothes
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chip — to eat
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cell — a phone
  13. club — a group
  14. band — a ring
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. club — for dancing
  18. chip — for betting
  19. suit — in cards
  20. club — for golf
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cell — in biology
  24. band — a rubber band

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