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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. branch — a division
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. present — there
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. stand — to bear
  8. present — a gift
  9. wax — to grow
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. present — the time now
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. face — to point toward
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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