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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. race — the arms race
  5. object — a thing
  6. race — a contest
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. object — an aim
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. land — to come down
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. rest — a break
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. land — ground
  19. object — to protest
  20. land — a country
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. race — humankind
  23. branch — a division
  24. rest — what's left

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