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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. drill — army training
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. chip — to eat
  10. deal — to handle
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. chip — for betting
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. object — to protest
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. drill — the tool
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. object — a thing
  21. drill — a practice
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. object — an aim

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