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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: band · toast · fan · pit · patient · mark · wave · track

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mark — a grade
  7. track — a song
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mark — a trace
  10. toast — bread
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. track — a path
  23. band — a ring
  24. pit — in a race

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