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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pop — music
  3. saw — the tool
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. capital — money
  7. branch — a division
  8. suit — to fit
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pop — soda
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. suit — in cards
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. tear — from crying
  20. pop — to visit
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. capital — a city
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. saw — the tool

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