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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bulb — for light
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bulb — for light
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. wound — an injury
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. wound — an injury

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