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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. tear — from crying
  11. mark — a trace
  12. staff — employees
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. staff — employees
  16. mark — a grade
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rock — a stone
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. tear — to rip
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bowl — a dish

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