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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. file — a line of people
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. file — a tool
  7. staff — a stick
  8. chip — to eat
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. tube — the underground
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. chip — for betting
  24. file — a document

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