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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · deal · wax · patient · bear · nail · shower · toast

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  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. deal — a big deal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. shower — rain
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. shower — to wash
  17. wax — to grow
  18. toast — bread
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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