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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cap — a lid
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bank — for money
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cap — of ice
  11. rush — hurry
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bank — for money
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bank — of a river
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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