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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. hand — in cards
  3. rash — a series
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. drill — a practice
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. stand — to bear
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. drill — army training
  17. hand — help
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rash — hasty
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. trunk — of a tree

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