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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — for money
  4. land — ground
  5. sharp — clever
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — clothes
  10. game — a match
  11. suit — to fit
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bank — of a river
  18. club — for dancing
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. club — for golf
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. club — a group
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. game — wild animals

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