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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. season — of the year
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. band — a music group
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. band — a ring
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. season — in sport
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. dip — to sink
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. dip — a sauce

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