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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · land · coach · patient · cell · wave · mouse · tube

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cell — in biology
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. land — ground
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. land — a country
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. tube — the underground
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cell — a phone
  22. tube — a container
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. land — to come down

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