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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. root — of a plant
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. root — of a word
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. root — the cause
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. plane — a tool
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bulb — for light

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