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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 · object · key · firm · spring · band · patient · kick

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. firm — a company
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. kick — in football
  8. object — a thing
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. band — a ring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. spring — a coil
  14. firm — decided
  15. key — for a lock
  16. object — an aim
  17. firm — steady
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. spring — of water
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. object — to protest
  23. spring — the season
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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