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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. saw — the tool
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. drill — army training
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wax — to grow
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. rash — a series
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rash — hasty
  18. drill — the tool
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. saw — the tool
  22. foot — a measure
  23. drill — a practice
  24. fan — a supporter

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