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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. tear — to rip
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. foot — a measure
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rest — what's left
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. deal — to handle
  16. tear — from crying
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. tear — from crying
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. deal — a big deal

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