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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: plane · deal · season · fan · patient · board · racket · snap

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. board — to get on
  3. snap — to click
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. board — a committee
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. plane — a tool
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. deal — to handle
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — in sport
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. deal — an agreement

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