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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.

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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wax — to grow
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stand — to bear
  6. snap — to click
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. chip — to eat
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. chip — for betting

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