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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.

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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: face · dip · deal · fan · wave · patient · can · roll

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. roll — a list
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. face — part of the head
  17. roll — a cake
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fan — a supporter
  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