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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. saw — the tool
  3. club — for dancing
  4. present — there
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. present — a gift
  7. band — a ring
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. club — a group
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. suit — in cards
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. club — for golf
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. present — the time now
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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