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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. club — for golf
  3. object — an aim
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. club — a group
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. present — there
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. present — the time now
  11. wake — a trail
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. object — a thing
  15. club — for dancing
  16. deal — to handle
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. object — to protest
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. present — a gift

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