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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: patient · deal · game · shower · fan · suit · can · bat

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bat — the animal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. suit — to fit
  11. game — a match
  12. can — to be able to
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. can — a tin
  15. shower — to wash
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. deal — to handle
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. game — wild animals
  21. shower — rain
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bat — in an idiom

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