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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: fan · patient · hide · swing · drill · mug · tube · mark

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. mark — a grade
  3. drill — army training
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mug — a face
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. tube — the underground
  11. mug — to rob
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mug — a cup
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — music
  17. drill — a practice
  18. swing — to play on
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. drill — the tool
  24. tube — a container

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