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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tube — a container
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. can — a tin
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tube — the underground
  9. can — to be able to
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. firm — decided
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. can — a tin
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. firm — a company
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. firm — steady

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