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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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. last — finally
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. game — a match
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. last — final
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. plane — a tool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. game — wild animals
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. last — to go on
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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