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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
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: saw · wave · bat · key · fan · rash · deal · patient

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. deal — to handle
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bat — the animal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. key — for a lock
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rash — a series
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. key — in music
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fan — to cool the air

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