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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: game · can · root · file · track · fan · patient · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. track — to keep track
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. hand — help
  5. game — a match
  6. root — of a word
  7. track — a path
  8. file — a tool
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. file — a document
  13. track — a song
  14. can — a tin
  15. root — of a plant
  16. file — a line of people
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. can — a tin
  19. root — the cause
  20. game — wild animals
  21. can — to be able to
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. patient — a sick person

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