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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. spring — a coil
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. suit — to fit
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rush — hurry
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spring — the season
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. hand — help
  22. spring — of water
  23. hand — in cards
  24. racket — a loud noise

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