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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 120 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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. shower — rain
  5. key — for a lock
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bulb — for light
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bank — for money
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bank — of a river
  14. scale — in music
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. key — the most important part
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bank — for money
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. key — in music

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