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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. clip — for paper
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bore — to drill
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chip — for betting
  16. clip — a video
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. clip — to cut
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bore — to tire

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