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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cue — a hint
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. wound — an injury
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — the earth
  14. rash — a series
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rash — hasty
  22. ground — crushed
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. cue — for pool

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