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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · tube · suit · patient · snap · ball · chair · bark

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. suit — to fit
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. tube — the underground
  6. ball — a dance
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. ball — a great time
  13. tube — a container
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bark — to shout
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. suit — clothes
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. snap — to click
  24. chair — a leader

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