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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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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 · safe · track · patient · bulb · wave · deal · land

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. land — a country
  13. track — a song
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bulb — for light
  17. deal — to handle
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. land — ground
  20. track — a path
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. land — to come down
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wave — of the sea

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