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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: can · deal · fan · patient · drill · mark · race · cabinet

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. can — a tin
  3. mark — a trace
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mark — a grade
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. can — a tin
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. race — humankind
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. drill — a practice
  14. race — the arms race
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. deal — to handle
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. drill — army training
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. drill — the tool

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